to England, perhaps for
a few weeks, perhaps longer, and I should like to take her with me.
I have a sister who would look after her, and the trip would do her a
world of good. I have been wanting to do this for a long time, but I am
a little freer now to carry out the plan I had for her. And so I have
come to propose it to you."

Otto listened gravely, his fat features frozen into calm. This clerk of
his had made him many startling propositions, and every surrender had
brought him profit. But turning over Beesving to him meant something
so different that the father in him stood aghast. Yet his old habit of
deference did not desert him when at last he spoke:

"Vell, vat vill I do? You knew I don't got notin' but Beesving. Don't
she get everytin' vere she is? I do all de schoolin' and de clothes and
Aunty Gossburger look after her. Vhen she gets older maybe perhaps she
vould like a trip. And den maybe ve both go and leave you here to mind
de shop in de summer-time. But now she's notin' but jus' Beesving, vid
her head full of skippin' aroun'. No, I don't tink I can do dat for you.
I do most anytin' for you, but my little girl, you see, dat come pretty
close. Dat make a awful hole in me if Beesving go avay. No, you mustn't
ask me dot."

"Not if it were for her good?"

"Yes, vell, of course, but how do I know dot? And vot you vant to go
avay for? Dot's more vorse as Beesving. Ain't I pay you enough? Maybe
you vants a little interest in de business? I vas tinkin' about dat only
yesterday. Ve vill talk about dot sometimes."

Felix laughed gently.

"No, I don't wish any interest in the business. You pay me quite enough
for the work I do, and I am quite willing to continue to serve you as
long as I can. But Masie should not be brought up in these surroundings
much longer. Perhaps you would be willing to send her to a good school
away from here, if I could arrange it. Either here or in England."

Otto threw up his hands; he was becoming indignant, his mind more and
more set against Felix's proposition.

"Vell, but vat's de matter vid de school she has now? She is more dan
on de top of all de classes. De superintendent told me so ven he vas in
here last veek buying Christmas presents. I sold him dat old chair you
got Hans to put a new leg on. You remember dot chair. Vell, dat vas
better as a new von vhen Hans got trough. Hadn't been for you, dot
old chair vould be kicking around now, and I vouldn't have de fifteen
dolla