"and I am going to put in a small sum of money that has come to me in
the past year from a distant relative."

"But are you not afraid you will lose it?" asked Faith, a little shyly.
"You know you always had grave doubts as to the financial results of
your father's undertaking."

"Well, what if I do?" asked the young man, smiling back at her. "Others
have done as much, and I can but follow in their footsteps, and then
reformation to be acceptable should not be half-hearted."

There was a light in his eyes that was not to be mistaken. As Faith
beheld it she uttered a cry of joy and held out both hands toward him
impulsively.

Young Denton gathered both her hands into one of his own, while his
other rested lightly upon her shoulder.

"And after I have proven myself worthy may I claim my reward?" he
whispered. "May I ask my good angel to share her labors with me and so
crown her noble life with the seal of forgiveness?"

"I have nothing to forgive," whispered Faith, blushing deeply. "If
Christ has forgiven there is nothing further."

"And you will marry me, Faith, if I prove worthy?" he murmured. "For,
oh, I love you, sweetheart, and I cannot live without you!"

"I will marry you--yes," was the girl's low answer, "if at the end of a
year you are still in the faith--still carrying the light to the darkest
places."

There was just one kiss to seal the compact, but that kiss was a
benediction, a holy consummation.

* * * * *

Meanwhile Mr. Denton was still sitting in his chair, although the big
building was empty of all but its watchman.

His head was bowed down upon his bosom, as the year just passed spread
panorama-like before his vision.

What had he accomplished of his Master's work? He breathed a sigh that
it had been so little.

He had tried to put justice in the place of its opposite, to install
sweet liberty in the place of oppression. In his dealings with his
fellow men he had been fair and equitable, even leaning toward mercy
when opportunity offered.

In fact, he had incorporated the Spirit of Righteousness into the Temple
of Mammon and molded worldly affairs after the principles of divine
teaching.

And what to him had been the results? He smiled with grateful
satisfaction as he briefly reviewed them.

There was a trifling shortage as compared with the accounts of previous
years, so trifling that it astonished him when he reflected upon the
amounts which he had