with its shame.  Then there are hundreds of people whom a loan of a little money would help wonderfully.  This boy can get a place if he had a respectable suit of clothes.  Another can obtain work by learning a trade, but can’t live while he learns it.  A woman can support herself if she can buy a sewing-machine, but hasn’t the money to buy it.  Another can get a job at something, but is required to make a deposit to the value of the goods intrusted to her.  Now, if all these people could go to some company, and tell their story, and get their notes discounted, according to their reputation, just as the merchant does at his bank, don’t you see what a help it would be?”

“How much would it take, Peter?”

“One cannot say, because, till it is tested, there would be no way of knowing how much would be asked for.  But a hundred thousand dollars would do to start with.”

“Why, that’s only a hundred people giving a thousand each,” cried Leonore eagerly.  “Peter, I’ll give a thousand, and I’ll make mamma and papa give a thousand, and I’ll speak to my friends and—­”

“Money isn’t the difficult part,” said Peter, longing to a fearful degree to take Leonore in his arms.  “If it were only money, I could do it myself—­or if I did not choose to do it alone, Miss De Voe and Pell would help me.”

“What is it, then?”

“It’s finding the right man to run such a company.  I can’t give the time, for I can do more good in other directions.  It needs a good business man, yet one who must have many other qualities which rarely go with a business training.  He must understand the poor, because he must look into every case, to see if it is a safe risk—­or rather if the past life of the applicant indicates that he is entitled to help.  Now if your grandfather, who is such an able banker, were to go into my ward, and ask about the standing of a man in it, he wouldn’t get any real information.  But if I ask, every one will tell me what he thinks.  The man in control of such a bank must be able to draw out the truth.  Unless the management was just what it ought to be, it would be bankrupt in a few months, or else would not lend to one quarter of the people who deserve help.  Yet from my own experience, I know, that money can be loaned to these people, so that the legal interest more than pays for the occasional loss, and that most of these losses are due to inability, more than to dishonesty.”

“I wish we could go on talking,” sighed Leonore.  “But the people are beginning to go downstairs.  I suppose I must go, so as to say good-bye.  I only wish I could help you in charity.”

“You have given me a great charity this evening,” said Peter.

“You mean the photographs,” smiled Leonore.

“No.”

“What else?”

“You have shown me the warmest and most loving of hearts,” said Peter, “and that is the best charity in the world.”

On the way down they met Lispenard coming up.  “I’ve just said good-night to your mother.  I would have spoken to you while we were in your room, but you were so engrossed that Miss Winthrop and I thought we had better not interrupt.”