time gain by it himself, his mother would be the last to blame him.

Gertrude was a soft-hearted woman. She answered her son that if there was
nothing wrong about this business, it was certainly a good thing to help
Jost, who had received nothing from his father, not even tools for his
trade, and who had seemed to have everything against him.

"With you it was very different, my boy," she said in conclusion. "Your
father left you an excellent business, and if you continue to work as you
have done, you will be very well off in a few years. How kindly the good
God has dealt with us, my son! We may hope for many happy days together!"

He agreed with her cordially, but he thought it as well not to unfold his
plans to her any farther. He said to himself that he was not going to do
anything wrong, certainly not; but his mother's ideas were a little
old-fashioned, and she wouldn't understand his schemes. He would surprise
her with his success.




CHAPTER VI.

LAME SABINA GIVES GOOD ADVICE.


Veronica's teacher, Sabina, had been a hunchback from her birth, and had
become lame when still young; she had used crutches since she was twenty
years old. Like many persons who suffer under physical disabilities, she
had clever penetrating eyes, and on this day, she often raised them from