into his friend's hands.
Scheffer took it, but he did not attempt to loosen the cord that secured
the cover. Then Paul said:

'You do not really suppose that I am the only idle person in the world.
I have been at work longer than Josephine, though you might not believe
it; but what I have done, no one has yet seen. If I had the money,
Scheffer! I'd--well--look at the thing! I want you should study it, of
course.'

August, however, was in no haste. He was more desirous to learn the
meaning of what Paul had said about Josephine. But that could not be
asked by him; and so he unfastened the cord, opened the box, and beheld
within a miniature machine, whose meaning no one in the world, Paul
Mitchell excepted, could explain. That was Paul's thought of pride.

'That's _my_ secret,' said he. 'That's my beauty! and I'd build a house
for it, if I had the money, to be sure, as you are going to do for
yours. How do you like it?'

'Explain; then I can tell you.' It was still the father-voice that
spoke; but the tone was that of a man whose son has forestalled hope,
and justified the most vague of ambitious wishes.

'That, Scheffer, is a contrivance for printing. Will you please to
examine it? It's to be used henceforth, for all time, understand! by
bankers in their banks, and by all men of great business. See--'

He arose, and brought near to the sofa a small table, on which he placed
the machine. Then he set it in motion. 'For numbering notes, and so on.
Does it work, August?'

Scheffer, though admiring and amazed, said not a word, but sat down
before the machine, and studied it in every part.

His judgment was satisfied when at last he gave it.

'It's worth money to you, Mitchell.'

'Do you believe it, Scheffer? Worth money. Oh, my goodness!'

'Paul, you expected that.'

'I knew it; but to hear you say so, makes me feel like a man. Then I
shall do for my mother what you did for yours, and get Josephine out of
that school-teaching freak of hers. She has actually gone and done it,
Scheffer.... Worth money, eh? Then I shall do some things as well as
others, Mr. Scheffer.'

Scheffer smiled. He understood this exultation too well not to share it
and to be deeply moved by it.

'I suppose so,' said he. 'I always believed in you.'

'Well, then, look here.'

Paul's voice broke; he looked on the floor, and was a long time in
producing the second box. When he had fairly drawn it forth, he gave a
sudden and wonderful loo