'Oh! very well--knows a little too much, like most young men of his age, but he does very well.' ''Very well,' Mr. Ballet! d--d if he don't--he's the smartest boy living--made a clean forty thousand for us not two months ago--forced it on Hallet against his better judgment!' And Mr. Cragin laughed till he showed all that was left of two rows of tobacco-stained teeth. 'How was it Cragin?' I asked, greatly pleased. A short rap came at the office-door, and Frank entered, his hat in his hand. 'Mother insists on my taking supper with her--will you go now, sir?' he said, addressing me. Before I could reply, Mr. Hallet, rather sharply, asked: 'Have you finished your letters for the steamer?' 'Yes, sir.' 'What have you said to Maclean, Maris & Co., about the gum-copal?' 'I will show you, sir.' And going into the other room, Frank returned in a moment with an open letter, still wet from the copying-press. Mr. Hallet took it and read it over slowly and carefully, then handing it back, he said, in the slightly pompous tone which was natural to him: 'That will do--you can go.' I was rising to bid them 'good-evening,' when the senior said to me: 'Mr. Kirke, I dislike to trespass on your time, but I would like to confer with you for a moment, on a private matter.' 'Certainly, sir.' And I added: 'Frank, tell your mother I will meet you at the hotel in half an hour.' 'But I must be in Cambridge by eight o'clock,' replied the young man, looking a little chop-fallen. 'Well, don't wait for me--I will see you to-morrow.' Bidding me 'good-night,' he left; and Mr. Cragin, seeing that his partner would be alone with me, left shortly afterward. As soon as Cragin was gone, Mr. Hallet, opening the door, called: 'David!' The book-keeper entered, and took a seat beside me. 'Mr. Kirke,' said Mr. Hallet, when the other was seated, 'I want to talk with you and David about Frank. He has entangled himself with that Southern girl, and, I hear, means to marry her. I strongly object to it. I've not a particle of influence with him, and _you_ must prevent it.' 'Why should we prevent it?' I asked, rather sharply. 'What is there against the young woman?' 'Nothing against her character, but she'd not be a fit wife for Frank. These Southern women are educated with wrong ideas--they make poor wives for poor men. He must marry a rich girl, or one brought up with New-England habits. This one would bring him nothing, and spend all he made.' 'But she is an only child, and her father is rich.' 'Pshaw! that is bosh! Preston always lived high, and I'll guarantee his estate is bankrupt. I'm sorry for it, for he owes us.' 'Is that so! Largely?' 'No, not largely; how much is he overdrawn, David?' 'Eighty-two hundred and odd.' 'I'm surprised at that,' I said. 'The old house did not allow such things.' 'Neither do we; 'twas Cragin's work. He thought 'twould annoy Frank if the drafts went back, and'--he hesitated a moment--'he insisted upon it.'