idence in their manager was all the more shaken by the
reports that had reached them of his peculiar fads--his reading-room,
library, etc. These were sufficient evidence of his lack of business
ability. He was undoubtedly a worthy young man, but there was every
ground to believe that he was something of a visionary, and men with
great hesitation intrust hard cash to the management of an idealist. It
was, perhaps, unfortunate for Mr. St. Clair that he should be appealed
to upon this point, for his reluctance to express an opinion as to the
ability of the manager, and his admission that possibly the young man
might properly be termed a visionary, brought Colonel Thorp sharply to
his feet.

"Mr. St. Clair," said the colonel, in a cool, cutting voice, "will not
hesitate to bear testimony to the fact that our manager is a man whose
integrity cannot be tampered with. If I mistake not, Mr. St. Clair has
had evidence of this."

Mr. St. Clair hastened to bear the very strongest testimony to the
manager's integrity.

"And Mr. St. Clair, I have no doubt," went on the colonel, "will be
equally ready to bear testimony to the conspicuous ability our manager
displayed while he was in the service of the Raymond and St. Clair
Lumber Company."

Mr. St. Clair promptly corroborated the colonel's statement.

"We are sure of two things, therefore," continued the colonel, "that
our manager is a man of integrity, and that he has displayed conspicuous
business ability in his former positions."

At this point the colonel was interrupted, and his attention was called
to the fact that the reports showed an increase of expenditure for
supplies and for wages, and on the other hand a falling off in the
revenue from the stores. But the colonel passed over these points as
insignificant. "It is clear," he proceeded, "that the cause of failure
does not lie in the management, but in the state of the market. The
political situation in that country is very doubtful, and this has an
exceedingly depressing effect upon business."

"Then," interrupted a share-holder, "it is time the company should
withdraw from that country and confine itself to a district where the
market is sure and the future more stable."

"What about these fads, Colonel?" asked another share-holder; "these
reading-rooms, libraries, etc? Do you think we pay a man to establish
that sort of thing? To my mind they simply put a lot of nonsense
into the heads of the working-men and are