o tell you. I must leave YOU to judge how far it affects your
relations with Miss Brooks."

Herbert did not hesitate. "I should be very sorry, sir, to seem to
undervalue your consideration or disregard your warning; but I am
afraid that even if you had been less merciful to Tappington, and he
were now a convicted felon, I should change neither my feelings nor my
intentions to his sister."

"And you would still marry her?" said Carstone sternly; "YOU, an
employee of the bank, would set the example of allying yourself with
one who had robbed it?"

"I--am afraid I would, sir," said Herbert slowly.

"Even if it were a question of your remaining here?" said Carstone
grimly.

Poor Herbert already saw himself dismissed and again taking up his
weary quest for employment; but, nevertheless, he answered stoutly:

"Yes, sir."

"And nothing will prevent you marrying Miss Brooks?"

"Nothing--save my inability to support her."

"Then," said Mr. Carstone, with a peculiar light in his eyes, "it only
remains for the bank to mark its opinion of your conduct by INCREASING
YOUR SALARY TO ENABLE YOU TO DO SO! Shake hands, Mr. Bly," he said,
laughing. "I think you'll do to tie to--and I believe the young lady
will be of the same opinion. But not a word to either her or her
mother in regard to what you have heard. And now I may tell you
something more. I am not without hope of Tappington's future,
nor--d--n it!--without some excuse for his fault, sir. He was
artificially brought up. When my old friend died, Mrs. Brooks, still a
handsome woman, like all her sex wouldn't rest until she had another
devotion, and wrapped herself and her children up in the Church.
Theology may be all right for grown people, but it's apt to make
children artificial; and Tappington was pious before he was fairly
good. He drew on a religious credit before he had a moral capital
behind it. He was brought up with no knowledge of the world, and when
he went into it--it captured him. I don't say there are not saints
born into the world occasionally; but for every one you'll find a lot
of promiscuous human nature. My old friend Josh Brooks had a heap of
it, and it wouldn't be strange if some was left in his children, and
burst through their straight-lacing in a queer way. That's all!
Good-morning, Mr. Bly. Forget what I've told you for six months, and
then I shouldn't wonder if Tappington was on hand to give his sister
away."

. .