“You wish to take her away from the luxuries of wealth, and you wish to deprive me of the pleasure of doing for her what I may do for others.” “But my salary is sufficient to support her in what you and I both, a few years ago, would have deemed the most princely luxury.” “Doubtless you think it would be very pleasant for me to live at Pine Hill, while my sister is cramped up in a small house, and reduced from plenty to comparative poverty. I say, Dick, it is cruel for you to insist upon such a state of things. You may humor your pride, and think it is magnanimous in you to choose poverty instead of wealth; but I am to be the sufferer--not you. I am to bear the pains and penalties of your reduced circumstances--not yourself.” “I do not wish to render you uncomfortable, certainly,” replied Dick, musing. “Then you will not object to Julia’s half million.” “There is something humiliating in the situation.” “Nothing of the kind. What your pride does not permit me to do for you, I shall do for my sister.” “The same thing under another name.” “No; the real question is, Shall I let my sister suffer for your pride and obstinacy? If I were to sacrifice anything at all for your sake, or even for hers, it would be different. I am giving her what I do not need, and cannot use. There is no merit whatever in my deed.” Dick yielded only when he could no longer contest the point; but his pride was not entirely overcome. “Now, Dick, you will be a rich man in spite of yourself,” said Julia, when they met alone after the conversation; “and I shall have the happiness of making you so.” “There is a man at the Port who will say that this wealth is what I have been aiming at.” “But there is not a person at Pine Hill who would believe him.” “Julia, I wish you had not a dollar in the world, and could not get one,” replied Dick, still galled by his situation. “You would love me none the less; but I am glad to be worth taking.” “You do not need wealth to make you a prize. I am not sure that you wouldn’t be better without it than with it.” “I will try to be good with it, Dick.” “Julia, I used to love you before I saw you. I wish we had met before the shower of gold fell upon you.” “I have no need to complain; and sad and unfortunate as the circumstances are, we must endeavor to be resigned,” said Julia. “It is hard to have wealth thrust upon you, to be rich in spite of yourself; but I hope we shall be reconciled to our unhappy lot.”