repeatedly upon his brow.

"We have some business," he began at last; and there broke off,

declared we must have wine, and sent for a magnum of the best.

This was extremely foreign to his habitudes; and what was still

more so, when the wine had come, he gulped down one glass upon

another like a man careless of appearances. But the drink steadied

him.

"You will scarce be surprised, Mackellar," says he, "when I tell

you that my brother - whose safety we are all rejoiced to learn -

stands in some need of money."

I told him I had misdoubted as much; but the time was not very

fortunate, as the stock was low.

"Not mine," said he. "There is the money for the mortgage."

I reminded him it was Mrs. Henry's.

"I will be answerable to my wife," he cried violently.

"And then," said I, "there is the mortgage."

"I know," said he; "it is on that I would consult you."

I showed him how unfortunate a time it was to divert this money

from its destination; and how, by so doing, we must lose the profit

of our past economies, and plunge back the estate into the mire. I

even took the liberty to plead with him; and when he still opposed

me with a shake of the head and a bitter dogged smile, my zeal

quite carried me beyond my place. "This is midsummer madness,"

cried I; "and I for one will be no party to it."

"You speak as though I did it for my pleasure," says he. "But I

have a child now; and, besides, I love order; and to say the honest

truth, Mackellar, I had begun to take a pride in the estates." He

gloomed for a moment. "But what would you have?" he went on.

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