dissolve
partnership. This store is making a fortune for us all. I would be a
fool to throw over such a magnificent investment!"

"It profiteth nothing, and fearful the cost,
To gain the whole world if thy soul shall be lost!"

Mr. Denton quoted the words soberly, almost reverently. As he did so a
vision of Faith Marvin rose suddenly before him.

"Pshaw! You have lost your senses, Denton!" cried Mr. Day. "Am I to be
scared into idiocy by the words of some fanatic?"

"You have said nothing, Mr. Forbes," said Mr. Denton, turning from Mr.
Day quietly.

"I have nothing to say," remarked Mr. Forbes, gruffly. "It is as Mr. Day
says; you have lost your senses."

Mr. Denton sighed heavily. He was a little disappointed.

"You can talk the matter over by yourselves," he said, finally, "and
remember, I stand ready to deal fairly by my partners. My loss, if I
have one, need not be theirs; you have only to state a willingness to
comply or settle."

He walked out of the office, closing the door behind him. A second later
he had arrived at the door of his own office.

"Please, sir, may I see you a minute, sir?" asked a voice just behind
him.

He turned and recognized Sam Watkins, the boy who had stolen the five
hundred dollars.

"Come in, Sam," he said, kindly. The child looked at him in surprise.
The moment the door closed behind him he burst out crying.

"Come, come, boy, don't cry! I won't scold you," said Mr. Denton,
smiling.

He took Sam's hand in his own and patted it encouragingly.

"I couldn't help it, sir; indeed, I couldn't!" he blurted out. "Poor ma
was so sick and needed money so dreadful!"

"So you took it for your mother," said Mr. Denton. "Now, tell me the
truth, Sam; what did you do with the other three hundred dollars?"

Sam Watkins looked up into the gentleman's face. His eyes were red from
weeping, but they did not waver.

"I lost it, sir," he said, simply. "It was in my coat pocket. You see,
I divided the wad, sir, so it wouldn't look so bulky!"

"And did your mother scold you?" asked Mr. Denton, still smiling.

The boy's glance fell to the floor and he shifted his feet uneasily.

"No, sir, she didn't scold--that is, not exactly," he said, sniffing.
"She just talked to me, sir, and then she cried something awful!"

Mr. Denton turned his head away for about a minute. There was something
in the boy's story that affected him strangely. The poor woman had wept
because her boy had stolen s