WEALTH WITHOUT WINGS. 73

 

to the payment therefor of three hundred dollars a
year, in quarterly payments of seventy-five dollars
each.”

“ Yes, that is the simple statement of the matter.
You see, I have prepared duplicates: one for you,
and one for myself. I will sign them first.”

And Jasper took a pen and placed upon each of
the documents his sign-manual.

Claire did the same; and a clerk witnessed the
signatures. Each, then, took a copy. Thus, quickly
and fully, was the matter arranged.

This fact of giving to the contract a legal form,
was, under the circumstances, the very thing Claire
most desired. He had already begun to see diffi-
culties ahead, so soon as he announced his intention
of leaving Jasper’s service ; particularly, as no rea-
son that he could give would satisfy the merchant—
difficulties growing out of this new relation as the
personal guardian of little Fanny Elder. The sign-
ing of aregular contract for the payment of a certain
sum of money, quarterly, for the child’s maintenance,
gave him a legal right to collect that sum, should
Jasper, from any change of feeling, be disposed at
some future time to give him trouble. ‘This was
something gained. |

It was with exceeding reluctance that Claire
forced himself, during the afternoon, to announce
his intention to leave Mr. Jasper. Had he not pro-
mised Mr. Melleville and his wife to do this, it would
certainly have been postponed for the present; per-
haps altogether. But his word was passed to both
of them, and he felt that to defer the matter would
be wrong. So, an opportunity offering, he said—

7