ld share his last crust with an enemy, and he is so
up and down honest himself, he believes the whole world honest and pure
also."

"But he seems to be a good judge of character," said Fabens, "and I
should think he would not be often deceived. I see he notices heads
and dispositions pretty narrowly."

"He _is often_ deceived," said Frisbie, "and he has met losses and
crosses enough to make a few of his black hairs turn white. But I tell
him it's owing to his putting too much confidence in men. He thinks
everybody is honest because he is. His mother used to tell him, when
he was a little boy, that he would always be poor, he was so confiding
and free-hearted."

"There is a good deal in that," said Fabens, "and it is very true, as I
have found it. Men that can be trusted most, are commonly most
trusting, while the false and guilty are always on the lookout for
rogues. How is Fairbanks' business now? He has met no losses in
Summerfield, I hope."

"O, no, no! I did not refer to anything that had taken place since he
came to this town," said Frisbie. "Of all the world, this is just the
place for Fairbanks, and I tell him so. Where all are honest as one's
self, there can be no trouble. He never was doing so well, by half, as
now, I dare say. His business is large already, and his collections
are remarkably prompt. They seem here to like him, about as well as he
likes them."

"He seems to attend to his business pretty closely; I like that in
him," said Fabens.

"Attend to business? Ay! if you could see all the time, how he attends
to business, Squire; how he searches and foots his legers every day,"
said Frisbie; "how he keeps things moving and straight, and pays his
notes before they come due, you would say he could not help prospering,
and you would back him for any amount he would ask. But, here, it is
nine o'clock, already, and I must face this cold storm, that has come
up since I came."

"Don't hurry away yet," said Fabens. "There is nothing to call you
home. Stay all night, we will be glad to have you, and you shall have
an early start in the morning."

"O, I _must go to-night_," said Frisbie, and he took his cloak, and
concluded the conversation--"_I must go to-night_. I told Fairbanks, I
would be home before ten, and he knows what to depend on. We keep our
word with each other. Come over and see us, Squire. We have a fine
room fitted up now, in the store, where we can entertain our frie