“Are you acquainted?”

“Intimately.”

“Then be kind enough to introduce me forthwith.  I must make a conquest of some rich heiress soon, or I shall have to run away, or petition for the benefit of the Insolvent Law.”

“To-night, if you choose.”

“Very well—­let it be to-night.  There is no time to be lost.”

“Suppose she won’t accept you?”

“She must.  I’m as good-looking a fellow as you’ll find in a dozen; and I flatter myself that I have a smooth tongue in my head.”

“Well, success to you, I say!  But look here, Smith:  if you succeed, I shall expect a premium.”

“There’ll be no difficulty about that, Perkins.  But let me secure the prize first; and then say how much you’ll want.  You’ll not find me the man to forget a friend.”

“I’m sure of that,” responded the other, laughing.

And then the friends shook each other’s hands heartily, promising, as they parted, to meet early in the evening, preparatory to visiting the heiress.

“You would not have me suspicious of every young man who visits me!” said Margaretta Riston, in reply to a remark made by her aunt, on the same evening that the two young men had proposed calling on her.

“I would rather have you suspicious, or, rather, exceedingly watchful, than to be altogether off of your guard.  Many dangers beset the path of a rich young girl like you.  There are, and I am sorry to say it, too many young men in society, who are mere money-hunters—­young men who would marry an heiress during the first hour of their acquaintance, and marry her, of course, only for her money.”

“I can hardly credit it, aunt.  And I am sure that no young men of my acquaintance are so selfish and mercenary!”

“In that assumption lies a fatal error, believe me, my dear niece!  Too many, alas! too many young girls have vainly imagined, as you do now, that, though there might be men of base characters in society, none such were of their acquaintances.  These have awakened from their fatal error with the sad consciousness that they had become victims to their fond infidelity.  Rather suspect all until you have convincing evidence to the contrary, than remain unguarded until it is too late.”

“But don’t you see, aunt, how in this case I would do wrong to sincere and honest minds?  And I cannot bear the thought of doing wrong to any one.”

“You do no wrong to any one, my niece, in with-holding full confidence until there is evidence that full confidence may be safely bestowed.  In the present evil state of the world, involving, as it does, so much of false appearance, hypocrisy, and selfish motive, it is absolutely necessary, especially with one in your situation, to withhold all confidence, until there is unquestionable proof of virtuous principle.”

“There is at least one young man, who visits here, that I think is above such mean suspicions,” Margaretta said.