“How can I thank you, sir?” said Pownal, receiving the paper, and preparing, without examining it, to place it in his pocket.

“But that is not like a merchant,” exclaimed Mr. Pownal smiling, “to accept of a contract without looking at it.  Read it, Thomas, and see if you wish to suggest any change.”

“I am willing to trust my interests, my life, to you, sir, and it is unnecessary.  But it is your command and I obey you.”

We must allow, that the thought of becoming at some time a member of the firm, wherein he had received his mercantile education, had passed before through the mind of Pownal, but the conditions upon which he was now admitted were favorable beyond his most sanguine expectations.  The sum of money, too, carried to the credit of his account as a capital, on which to commence, deserved a better name than that of a small sum, which the opulent merchant had called it.  Pownal saw himself now at once elevated into a condition, not only to supply the wants of his father and himself, but to warrant him to cherish hopes for the success of other plans that lay very near his heart.  As the thought of Anne Bernard occurred to him, and he reflected upon the goodness of his generous benefactor, it seemed, to his ingenuous mind, as if he were half guilty of a wrong in withholding any part of his confidence from Mr. Pownal, and he felt strongly tempted to admit him into the inner sanctuary of his soul.  But a feeling natural in such cases, and the consideration that he was not perfectly sure his affection was returned by Anne, restrained him, and he contented himself with repeating his thanks for a generosity so much exceeding his hopes.

“Nay,” said the merchant, “I must be the judge of these things.  This may do to begin with.  When you are married I will double it.”

The tell-tale cheeks of Pownal excited the suspicions of the old gentleman, whose eyes were fastened on him as he spoke.

“Ah, ha!” cried he, laughing, “have I found you out, Thomas?  I do not believe, on the whole, the bribe will be necessary.  I understand now your enthusiasm about the beauties of Hillsdale.  But never blush.  There’s no harm in possessing good taste.  I was in love twenty times before I was your age.  When shall the wedding be, eh?”

“My dear sir,” said Pownal smiling, “it will be time enough years hence, to think of these things.  In a matter of this kind, I know of no better example to follow, than your own.”

“No, no, no, Thomas, do not imitate me there; I postponed my happiness too long, and were I to commence life again, I should not crawl with such a snail’s pace towards it as formerly.  But I have no fear of you or that my joints will be too stiff to dance on the joyful occasion.”