Such sombre reflections as these absorbed him, when he became suddenly conscious of the eyes of Josephine. She sat looking upon him; disturbed anew, it seemed, by the show of his disturbance. His eyes met hers, and she said: 'What is it, Paul? What has gone wrong with you?' 'Nothing. But it is enough to give one the horrors to see _you_ looking so like destruction. Something has happened, Josephine; what is it?' 'What fine shoes you have on, Paul!' she said, quickly, pretending to be absorbed in the discovery she had only that instant made. Paul laughed, and blushed. 'I earned them,' said he. 'Earned them!' Josephine's beautiful eyes were full of surprise, of admiration even, as she now fixed them on her brother. 'I wish I could earn anything--a row of pins, or a loaf of bread.' 'If you did, you wouldn't eat all the loaf yourself. But I spent all my wage on myself, you see! But I did earn them--at least, I'm going to, before I get through.' 'How in the world did you do it, Paul?' 'I am a tutor, Josephine,' said he, with mock gravity. She answered, earnestly: 'You're a good fellow, any way, tutor or not. It's a secret, then, this business?' 'Yes, the deadest kind of a dead secret. But I shall tell you. I made a mental reservation of you. August Scheffer----' Josephine started, trembled, looked away from Paul, recovered herself in an instant; then looked back again, and straight into his eyes. Paul saw nothing strange in this; he went on quietly: 'Scheffer is getting ambitious! If I had a shop and such a business as his, catch me bothering about books!' 'He was always fond of reading,' answered Josephine. 'You know what a reader his mother was? No, you don't know. You were too young. Well, he wants you to help him, and you are to be shod.' 'Yes, that's the whole of it. Why don't you laugh, or be surprised. I shall do my best with him.' 'I should hope you would do better than your best. Be punctual and steady in this business; for, really, you owe August Scheffer more than a shop full of shoes is worth. You will get as much good as you can possibly give. I wish I had your chance!' 'To teach him, Josephine?' 'To be a helpful man, dear Paul.' 'As far as I can see, everybody in these days is wishing that he was somebody else. That's what's the matter with Scheffer.' 'No,' said Josephine, quietly; 'it isn't. Not that. He wouldn't take any man's place that lives. Ask him.' 'Of course he would say 'No.' He is proud as Lucifer.' 'I like his spirit.' 'Yes, and you like Cromwell's spirit, too. What in the world do you suppose _he_ is going to do?' 'What?' asked Josephine, as if she did not know. Paul surveyed her for a moment. _Did_ she not know? He could not decide. He could look through most people, simple, earnest, penetrating fellow that he was; but not through Josephine.