t home.

"I'll see," said the servant.

She returned in a short time, and said: "He says you may come upstairs."

Paul followed the servant, who pointed out a door at the head of the
first staircase.

Paul knocked, and, hearing "Come in" from within, he opened the door and
entered.

He found himself in a spacious chamber, handsomely furnished. Mr.
Preston, in dressing-gown and slippers, sat before a cheerful, open
fire.

"Come and sit down by the fire," he said, sociably.

"Thank you, sir, I am warm with walking," and Paul took a seat near the
door.

"I am one of the cold kind," said Mr. Preston, "and have a fire earlier
than most people. You come about the shirts, I suppose?"

"Yes, sir."

"Will your mother undertake them?"

"With pleasure, sir. She can no longer get work from the shop."

"Business dull, I suppose?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then I am glad I thought of giving her the commission. How's business
with you to-day, eh?"

"Pretty good, sir."

"How many neckties did you sell?"

"Nineteen, sir."

"And how much do you get for that?"

"Nine shillings and a half--a dollar and eighteen cents."

"That's pretty good for a boy like you. When I was of your age I was
working on a farm for my board and clothes."

"Were you, sir?" asked Paul, interested.

"Yes, I was bound out till I was twenty-one. At the end of that time I
was to receive a hundred dollars and a freedom suit to begin the world
with. That wasn't a very large capital, eh?"

"No, sir."

"But the death of my employer put an end to my apprenticeship at the
age of eighteen. I hadn't a penny of money and was thrown upon my own
resources. However, I had a pair of good strong arms, and a good stock
of courage. I knew considerable about farming, but I didn't like it. I
thought I should like trade better. So I went to the village merchant,
who kept a small dry-goods store, and arranged with him to supply me
with a small stock of goods, which I undertook to sell on commission for
him. His business was limited, and having confidence in my honesty, he
was quite willing to intrust me with what I wanted. So I set out with my
pack on my back and made a tour of the neighboring villages."

Paul listened with eager interest. He had his own way to make, and it
was very encouraging to find that Mr. Preston, who was evidently rich
and prosperous, was no better off at eighteen than he was now.

"You will want to know how I succeeded. Well, at first onl