honest, and
with the exception of the assertion relative to Fleta's birth and
parentage, he had never told me a lie, that I could discover. I was
summing up all these reflections in my mind, when Melchior again came up
to me, and desiring the little girl to go away, he said, "Japhet, I have
resolved to grant your request with respect to Fleta, but it must be on
conditions."

"Let me hear them."

"First, then, Japhet, as you always have been honest and confiding with
me, tell me now what are your intentions. Do you mean to follow up the
profession which you learnt under me, or what do you intend to do?"

"Honestly, then, Melchior, I do not intend to follow up that profession,
unless driven to it by necessity. I intend to seek my father."

"And if driven to it by necessity, do you intend that Fleta shall aid
you by her acquirements? In short, do you mean to take her with you as
a speculation, to make the most of her, to let her sink, when she
arrives at the age of woman, into vice and misery?"

"I wonder at your asking me that question, Melchior; it is the first act
of injustice I have received at your hands. No; if obliged to follow up
the profession, I will not allow Fleta so to do. I would sooner that
she were in her grave. It is to rescue her from that very vice and
misery, to take her out of a society in which she never ought to have
been placed, that I take her with me."

"And this upon your honour?"

"Yes, upon my honour. I love her as my sister, and cannot help
indulging in the hope that in seeking my father I may chance to stumble
upon hers."

Melchior bit his lips. "There is another promise I must exact from you,
Japhet, which is, that to a direction which I will give you, every six
months you will enclose an address where you may be heard of, and also
intelligence as to Fleta's welfare and health."

"To that I give my cheerful promise; but, Melchior, you appear to have
taken, all at once, a strange interest in this little girl."

"I wish you now to think that I do take an interest in her, provided you
seek not to inquire the why and the wherefore. Will you accept of funds
for her maintenance?"

"Not without necessity compels me; and then I should be glad to find,
when I can no longer help her, that you are still her friend."

"Recollect, that you will always find what is requisite by writing to
the address which I shall give you before we part. That point is now
settled, and on the wh