be too hard. Here's twenty-five cents," and Silas took
a battered quarter from the money drawer.

"Take it and use it careful."

"I think we will try to get along without it," said Chester, with a
curl of the lip. "I'm afraid you can't afford it."

"Do just as you like," said Silas, putting back the money with a sigh
of relief, "but don't say I didn't offer to do something for Walter."

"No; I will tell him how much you offered to give."

"That's a queer boy," said Mr. Tripp, as Chester left the store. "Seems
to want me to pay all Walter Bruce's expenses. What made him come to
Wyncombe to get sick? He'd better have stayed where he lived, and then
he'd have had a claim to go to the poorhouse. He can't live on me, I
tell him that. Them Rands are foolish to take him in. They're as poor
as poverty themselves, and now they've taken in a man who ain't no
claim on them. I expect they thought they'd get a good sum out of me
for boardin' him. There's a great many onrasonable people in the
world."

"I will go and see Mr. Morris, the minister," decided the perplexed
Chester. "He will tell me what to do."

Accordingly he called on the minister and unfolded the story to
sympathetic ears.

"You did right, Chester," said Mr. Morris. "The poor fellow was
fortunate to fall into your hands. But won't it be too much for your
mother?"

"It's the expense I am thinking of, Mr. Morris. You know I have lost my
situation, and mother has no shoes to bind."

"I can help you, Chester. A rich lady of my acquaintance sends me a
hundred dollars every year to bestow in charity. I will devote a part
of this to the young man whom you have so kindly taken in, say at the
rate of eight dollars a week."

"That will make us feel easy," said Chester gratefully. "How much do
you think his uncle offered me?"

"I am surprised that he should have offered anything."

"He handed me twenty-five cents, but I told him I thought we could get
along without it."

"And you will. Silas Tripp has a small soul, hardly worth saving. He
has made money his god, and serves his chosen deity faithfully."

"I wouldn't change places with him for all his wealth."

"Some day you may be as rich as he, but I hope, if you are, you will
use your wealth better."

At the beginning of the third week Walter Bruce became suddenly worse.
His constitution was fragile, and the disease had undermined his
strength. The doctor looked grave.

"Do you think I shall pull throug