142 
THE BEAUTIFUL LADDER. 
the most of the present opportunity. I have 
the means, and instead of spending my surplus, 
as I had intended, in the purchase of a new 
pleasure-yacht, I will see to it that the widow 
and her family are placed in more comfortable 
circumstances; and if the suffering Alice can 
be helped in body or mind by any human 
agency, the means shall not be wanting until 
my last dollar is gone.” 
“ Spoken just like your better self, Charley !” 
was the hearty response of his friend; “ and I 
have but one suggestion of change to urge: 
you must not insist on taking all this, charge 
upon yourself, but share the pleasure with me. 
True, I have not such means as you have, but 
I have enough to take a good share in the 
work.—And, by the by, do you think that 
Doctor Dean has any suspicion that we had a 
hand in helping the Farleys ?” 
“ I am inclined to think that he has,” was the 
reply; “ and am still more convinced that the 
girls know the facts from two awful puns which 
Miss Minnie perpetrated when I met her this 
evening. ‘ Why, Mr. Davidson,’ said she, ^ I 
understand that you were guilty of a most 
cow-d.xdXy act the other day, and it is thought 
