“It is.  But Millard is too unsuspicious, and too ignorant of what is going on out of the narrow business circle.  He is like a horse in a mill.  He sees nothing outside of a certain limit.  He gets up in the morning, dresses himself, goes to his store, and then devotes himself to business until dinner time.  Then he goes home and dines.  After this he comes back to his store and stays until night.  His evenings are either spent in reading or dozing at home, or with a neighbor at checkers.  On Sunday morning he goes to church, in the afternoon he sleeps to kill time, and in the evening retires at eight, unless a friend steps in, to sleep away the tedious hours.  Of the habits of his clerks, when out of his store, he knows as little as the man in the moon.”

“But some one ought to give him a hint.”

“It would be a charity.”

“Why do n’t you do it?”

“Me!  Oh, it’s none of my business.  Let Millard look after his own affairs.  I ’m not going to get myself into trouble by meddling with things that do n’t concern me.  It is his place to see into the habits of his clerks.  If he neglects to do so, he deserves to be cheated by them.”

“I do n’t know.  It seems to me that it would be no more than right to give him a hint, and put him on his guard.”

“It would be a good turn, no doubt.  But I’m not going to do it.  It’s no affair of mine.”

“I do n’t think he is fit company for Harriet Meadows,” said Mrs. Larkin, after a pause.

“Nor I,” returned her husband.  “I should be very sorry to see our Jane riding with him, or indeed, associating with him in any way.  Surely Harriet’s father and mother cannot know that their daughter rides out with him almost every Sunday afternoon.”

“Of course not.  They are religious people and would think it a sin for her to do so.  I am surprised that Harriet should act in such direct violation of what she knows to be their real sentiments.”

“Some one ought to give them a hint upon the subject.”

“I think so.  If it were my child I would take it as a great favor indeed.”

“Yes, so would I. Suppose, Ellen, you drop a word in Mrs. Meadows’ ear.”

“Me!” with a look and tone of surprise.  “Oh no, I never interfere in other people’s business.  Every one ought to look after his or her own concerns.  I hate your meddlesome folks.  I ’ll take good care that my own child do n’t form such associations.  Let every body else do the same.  The fact is, parents are too careless about where their children go, and what kind of company they keep.”

“That’s very true.  Still I think no harm could come of your just giving Mrs. Meadows a hint.”

“Oh, no indeed!  It’s none of my business.”

“Well, just as you like,” returned Mr. Larkin, indifferently.  “Let every one see that his own stable door is locked before the horse is stolen.”