and kin sorter select what's points and what ain't."

"Perhaps I may some day," said the invalid, gloomily, glancing in
the direction of his preoccupied daughters; "when we're alone."

When his physical strength had improved, and his left arm and side
had regained a feeble but slowly gathering vitality, Alvin Mulrady
one day surprised the family by bringing the convalescent a pile of
letters and accounts, and spreading them on a board before Slinn's
invalid chair, with the suggestion that he should look over,
arrange, and docket them. The idea seemed preposterous, until it
was found that the old man was actually able to perform this
service, and exhibited a degree of intellectual activity and
capacity for this kind of work that was unsuspected. Dr. Duchesne
was delighted, and divided with admiration between his patient's
progress and the millionaire's sagacity. "And there are envious
people," said the enthusiastic doctor, "who believe that a man like
him, who could conceive of such a plan for occupying a weak
intellect without taxing its memory or judgment, is merely a lucky
fool! Look here. May be it didn't require much brains to stumble
on a gold mine, and it is a gift of Providence. But, in my
experience, Providence don't go round buyin' up d--d fools, or
investin' in dead beats."

When Mr. Slinn, finally, with the aid of crutches, was able to
hobble every day to the imposing counting-house and the office of
Mr. Mulrady, which now occupied the lower part of the new house,
and contained some of its gorgeous furniture, he was installed at a
rosewood desk behind Mr. Mulrady's chair, as his confidential clerk
and private secretary. The astonishment of Red Dog and Rough-and-