s engaged, and
declines seeing the gentlemen."

They went out incensed, but with such a mixed feeling of anger, chagrin,
self-abasement, and apprehension as they had never experienced before.

A day or two later Hamlin met Mrs. Browning face to face on the street.
He rushed up to her with a joyful cry of "O Rose!" whereupon she drew her
skirts around her so that they would not touch him, and walked by.

Not long after, Jenvie met Browning and addressed him joyously. Jack
looked him steadily in the face for a moment and then walked on.

These were unhappy days for the old men. Something had fallen on their
homes worse than a funeral, and in their souls the fear of the coming of
Sedgwick became a perpetual haunting specter before their eyes. Stetson
joined in their apprehensions, and then he realized besides that if he
had ruined Jack, still Jack had married Rose.

But as the days grew into weeks, they began to have hope. They made two
or three investments that gave them quick returns and large profits.
Success begets confidence. The men on change began to look upon them as
rising bankers; deposits increased heavily, and so many enterprises were
offered them to promote, that, without using a dollar of their own means,
their commissions began to be enormous.

"We are on the rising tide," said Jenvie.

"Indeed we are," said Hamlin. "If the suit comes now, we can settle
without any business or domestic scandal."

"It is nothing to make money when a man once
gets a start," said Jenvie, "but I would be glad to be
fully reconciled with my wife and child."

CHAPTER XVI.

A TRIP TO AFRICA.

Sedgwick and Jordan, with only now and then a few words of conversation,
reached the coast and embarked on the channel steamer. A fresh wind was
blowing, and the craft was shamefully unsteady.

"It must uv been heah, Jim, whar ther original mustang learned his
cussedness," said Jordan. "See how ther steam devil performs, startin' up
ez tho' it meant to climb a wave and then without er provercation rollin'
half way over and all ther time shakin hisself an' makin' things thet
uncomfortable thet ther man aboard, while sayin' nothin', wishes all ther
time he'd never tackled ther brute. Didn't ther useter call ther sea,
'Mare?' I know why, she were a mustang shor."

Sedgwick's face kindled with the ghost of a laugh, and he agreed that
Jordan's theory was not a bad one.

"But, Jim," said Jordan, "this war er famous old place