engagement she remarked to me one day that she was happy, for she knew
you were going to be the sort of son I had wanted.

"I haven't anybody on earth but her, Harold, and when I die she gets the
business. I have arranged it in my will so you two will share and share
alike in profits after I go, but that will be some time. I am far from
being an old man, and I am a mighty healthy one. However, I should like
to be relieved of the active management. There are a lot of things that I
have always wanted to do that I couldn't do because I couldn't spare the
time from my business.

"And so I want you to get thoroughly into the harness as soon as
possible, that I may turn over the entire management you. But I can't do
it, Harold, while the profits are diminishing."

As the older man's gaze fell again to statements before him the eyes of
younger man narrowed just a trifle as they rested upon Mason Compton,
and then as the older man looked up Bince's expression changed.

"I'll do my best, sir," he said, smiling. "Of course I realize, as you
must, that I have tried to learn a great deal in a short time. I think I
have reached a point now where I pretty thoroughly grasp the
possibilities and requirements of my work, and I am sure that from now
on you will note a decided change for the better on the right side of
the ledger."

"I am sure of it, my boy," said Compton heartily. "Don't think that I
have been finding fault with anything you have done. I just wanted to
call your attention to these figures. They mean something, and it's up
to you to find out just what they do mean."