It were a weariness to follow in detail the leaps and bounds the Foster fictitious finances took from this time forth.It was marvelous，it was dizzying，it was dazzling.Everything Aleck touched turned to fairy gold，and heaped itself glittering toward the firmament.Millions upon millions poured in，and still the mighty stream flowed thundering along，still its vast volume increased.Five millions—ten millions—twenty—thirty—was there never to be an end？
Two years swept by in a splendid delirium，the intoxicated Fosters scarcely noticing the flight of time.They were now worth three hundred million dollars；they were in every board of directors of every prodigious combine in the country；and still，as time drifted along，the millions went on piling up，five at a time，ten at a time，as fast as they could tally them off，almost.The three hundred doubled itself—then doubled again—and yet again—and yet once more.
Twenty-four hundred millions！
The business was getting a little confused.It was necessary to take an account of stock，and straighten it out.The Fosters knew it，they felt it，they realized that it was imperative；but they also knew that to do it properly and perfectly the task must be carried to a finish without a break when once it was begun.A ten-hours'job；and where could they find ten leisure hours in a bunch？Sally was selling pins and sugar and calico all day and every day；Aleck was cooking and washing dishes and sweeping and making beds all day and every day，with none to help，for the daughters were being saved up for high society.The Fosters knew there was one way to get the ten hours，and only one.Both were ashamed to name it；each waited for the other to do it.Finally Sally said：
“Somebody's got to give in.It's up to me.Consider that I've named it—never mind pronouncing it out aloud.”
Aleck colored，but was grateful.Without further remark，they fell.Fell，and—broke the Sabbath.For that was their only free ten-hour stretch.It was but another step in the downward path.Others would follow.Vast wealth has temptations which fatally and surely undermine the moral structure of persons not habituated to its possession.
They pulled down the shades and broke the Sabbath.With hard and patient labor they overhauled their holdings and listed them.And a long-drawn procession of formidable names it was！Starting with the Railway Systems，Steamer Lines，Standard Oil，Ocean Cables，Diluted Telegraph，and all the rest，and winding up with Klondike，De Beers，Tammany Graft，and Shady Privileges in the Post-office Department.
Twenty-four hundred millions，and all safely planted in Good Things，gilt-edged and interest-bearing.Income，$120，000，000a year.Aleck fetched a long purr of soft delight，and said：
“Is it enough？”
“It is，Aleck.”
“What shall we do？”
“Stand pat.”
“Retire from business？”
“That's it.”
“I am agreed.The good work is finished；we will take a long rest and enjoy the money.”
“Good！Aleck！”
“Yes，dear？”
“How much of the income can we spend？”
“The whole of it.”
It seemed to her husband that a ton of chains fell from his limbs.He did not say a word；he was happy beyond the power of speech.
After that，they broke the Sabbaths right along，as fast as they turned up.It is the first wrong steps that count.Every Sunday they put in the whole day，after morning service，on inventions—inventions of ways to spend the money.They got to continuing this delicious dissipation until past midnight；and at every séance Aleck lavished millions upon great charities and religious enterprises，and Sally lavished like sums upon matters to which (at first)he gave definite names.Only at first.Later the names gradually lost sharpness of outline，and eventually faded into “sundries，”thus becoming entirely—but safely—undeive.For Sally was crumbling.The placing of these millions added seriously and most uncomfortably to the family expenses—in tallow candles.For a while Aleck was worried.Then，after a little，she ceased to worry，for the occasion of it was gone.She was pained，she was grieved，she was ashamed；but she said nothing，and so became an accessory.Sally was taking candles；he was robbing the store.It is ever thus.Vast wealth，to the person unaccustomed to it，is a bane；it eats into the flesh and bone of his morals.When the Fosters were poor，they could have been trusted with untold candles.But now they—but let us not dwell upon it.From candles to apples is but a step：Sally got to taking apples；then soap；then maple-sugar；then canned goods；then crockery.How easy it is to go from bad to worse，when once we have started upon a downward course！
Meantime，other effects had been milestoning the course of the Fosters'splendid financial march.The fictitious brick dwelling had given place to an imaginary granite one with a checker-board mansard roof；in time this one disappeared and gave place to a still grander home—and so on and so on.Mansion after mansion，made of air，rose，higher，broader，finer，and each in its turn vanished away；until now in these latter great days，our dreamers were in fancy housed，in a distant region，in a sumptuous vast palace which looked out from a leafy summit upon a noble prospect of vale and river and receding hills steeped in tinted mists—and all private，all the property of the dreamers；a palace swarming with liveried servants，and populous with guests of fame and power，hailing from all the world's capitals，foreign and domestic.
