nd now I want
you to dismiss him, and let me be your book-keeper. It would help you,
and oh, I should love to so much; it seems as if I wasn't a bit of use
the way I live now, with nothing in particular to do."

"Why, my dear little girl," cried Mr. Dering, as she paused for breath.
"Do you think they could spare you to me all day, down in that dusty old
store?"

"Oh, yes, indeed!" and into Olive's brightened eyes crept a little of
the old bitterness, as she recalled the afternoon.

"And I'm to pay you----"

"Nothing of course, papa."

"No, my dear, I cannot consent to that."

"Please; I want to help you now. You may pay me when you are not
troubled any more about business."

"Ah, yes; when!" said Mr. Dering sadly to himself.

"Papa," Olive put an arm about his neck. "Is it so bad as that? I'm not
sixteen yet, but oh, I feel so much older, I can understand if you tell
me."

It really seemed so, as he looked into that grave, serious face, so
unlike a merry, careless girl; and while a sigh crossed his lips, his
eyes looked trustingly into hers.

"Yes, dear, I think you can. You deserve, and I am happy to give you, my
confidence; besides, I want to show you how you have helped me
to-night. I am troubled very seriously, I have a note of six thousand to
meet within sixty days, or the store goes, I see no way of raising it.
There is four thousand in the bank in mama's name, but I do not want to
touch it, because if anything should happen to me, you would not have
one cent left in the world. Still, if one or two ways which I have in
mind now, do not yield me something, I shall be obliged to take it, so
as to save part of my business, and replace it as soon as possible.
Thank God, the home is safe; it can never be taken from you, and never
would I consider it my duty to rob my wife and children of home and
happiness, to liquidate my debts. I owe my creditors a duty which I will
work to fulfill, while I live; but, I owe my family a greater one; so
Olive dear, the old home is always safe. To-night I am more thankful to
hold thirty dollars, than two months ago, I would have been to hold a
hundred, and only to-day I told Mr. Hess that I would have to do without
him, and that I would try the book-keeping myself."

He paused here, and the joy that mastered trouble in Olive's face, found
vent as she laid her head on his shoulder and cried heartily, "Oh papa I
am so glad, so glad!"

"You know more now, dear, than mama,"