DAY after day sped by with little to mark its flight in the life of Reuben Roy. And yet each left its impress, as each day surely does in the life of every one. The days we count memorable do not necessarily represent the most momentous hours of our history. Every day adds something to the character we are building up; every day presents to us, in some form or other, that choice between good and evil which determines our true selves. There is no pause in the development of character. If our principles are not daily being strengthened and purified, they are becoming relaxed, impure, corrupt. Thus we need to pray daily, in the words taught us by our Lord, that we might not be "led into,"—brought into the power of—"temptation," but may be "delivered from evil." It rarely happened that Reuben saw Mr. Akenside, though that gentleman was generally at the works. When they did chance to meet, he would speak kindly to Reuben, and inquire if he had good news from Ashworth. Reuben was under the control of the foreman of the department in which he worked, and this man seemed from the first to take a dislike to the lad, and to endeavour to make things as hard as possible for him. Nat Savage, as he was familiarly called by the "hands" when there was no chance of his hearing them, had worked for the firm for many years, and was thoroughly respected and trusted by his employers. He was held in less favour by the workpeople, however. Smooth, sleek, and subservient in his bearing towards his superiors, he was harsh and unjust to those beneath him. Reuben found it almost impossible to please him, and the dread of his coarse, unjust faultfinding added to the troubles of the lad's lot. One day he sent for Reuben in the dinner-hour. "Look here, my lad," he said, with a more good-natured air than he often assumed towards him, "I am going to send you on an errand. I want you to go to Aston for me." "Very well, sir," said Reuben. "Must I start at once?" "As soon as you have had your dinner. I shall give you a note to carry, and you must wait and bring me back an answer." "That will take some time," said Reuben, "but I suppose I shall not lose my pay." "Certainly not. You tell the timekeeper that you are sent on business for the firm, and he'll make it all right. But don't say anything about the business; don't say I sent you, if you should meet one of the masters, Reuben. If you are asked where you are going, say that you felt ill, and I said you might go home." Reuben flushed hotly. He was silent for a few moments; then he said, "I can't say that, sir." "Can't! What do you mean, you impudent young dog? What do you mean by saying that you can't do what I tell you?" "I mean that I 'won't' do it," said Reuben bluntly. "I am not going to tell lies to please any man."