t did not steel him
against ideal considerations.

Meanwhile my usefulness at the office was constantly increasing; for my
employer now made me devote my time to various sorts of financial
matters, and I could see plainly that he was puzzled at my aptness. He
expressed the belief that I must have had experience elsewhere, for I
acted, he said, as if I had been accustomed to handle large sums all my
life. He offered presently to raise my salary, but I declared that what
I received was sufficient for my needs. Much of the time I could see
that Mr. Prime was worried, for business though active was in an
unsettled state, and I knew from the books that already his capital was
somewhat impaired. As I have mentioned, he was studiously devoted to his
work, and the only recreation he allowed himself was his daily walk with
me. I often heard Mr. Slayback, our book-keeper, into whose good graces
I managed to ingratiate myself at the end of a fortnight, sigh over the
unremitting industry of our employer, and declare that he would break
down in health before a twelve-month was past.

"He will succeed first, and then he can afford to be an invalid," I
answered; but acting on the old man's solicitude, I did all I could to
lighten the load.

One afternoon, as we were walking home, I noticed that Mr. Prime seemed
especially grave and moody, and I ventured to inquire if anything
serious had happened.

"Oh, no; a mere trifling loss, that is unimportant in itself, but serves
to impress upon me still more deeply how easy it is to imagine and
difficult to perform," he answered. "It seems the simplest thing in the
world to make a fortune honestly, until one attempts it."

"But why are you so anxious to make a fortune?" I asked after a silence.

"Anxious to make a fortune? Because it is my ambition; because I have
always had the desire to try and spend a fortune well. Money is the
greatest power in the world, and every man who is strong and vital seeks
to acquire it. Why did you ask?"

"I have sometimes thought that a large fortune would be an unwelcome
responsibility," I said, noticing how much his words resembled what my
father had said to me. "It would be so puzzling, I should think, to
spend it wisely."

"And for that reason, would you have men afraid to try? How else is the
world to progress? Those who have leisure to think, are those to set
mankind an example," he replied, with a fierceness that made his face
glow.

My own he