the other boarders, and none of
them knew of the wrong that had been sustained. Their places did not
fill up, and the promised weekly income was reduced to twenty-four
dollars.

At the end of the third quarter, Mr. Cameron again recollected that
he had neglected to bring up a check from the counting-room, and
blamed himself for his thoughtlessness.

"I am so full of business," said he, "that I sometimes neglect these
little things."

"But it's a downright shame, Mr. Cameron, when it's so easy for you
to draw off a check and put it into your pocket," remarked his wife.

"O, it's not a particle of difference," Mrs. Turner volunteered to
say, smiling--though, to tell the truth, she would much rather have
had the money.

"Well, I'll try and bear it in mind this very night," and Mr.
Cameron hurried away, as business pressed.

The morning after Mr. Cameron's fourth quarter expired, he walked
out, as usual, with his wife before breakfast. But when all
assembled at the table, they had not (something very uncommon for
them) returned.

"I wonder what keeps Mr. and Mrs. Cameron?" remarked Mrs. Turner.

"Why, I saw them leave in the steamboat for the South, this
morning," said one of the boarders.

"You must be mistaken," Mrs. Turner replied.

"O no, ma'am, not at all. I saw them, and conversed with them before
the boat started. They told me that they were going on as far as
Washington."

"Very strange!" ejaculated Mrs. Turner. "They said nothing to me
about it."

"I hope they don't owe you any thing," remarked one of the boarders.

"Indeed, they do."

"Not much, ma'am; I hope."

"Over five hundred dollars."

"O, that is too bad! How could you trust a man like Mr. Cameron to
such an amount?"

"Why, surely," said Mrs. Turner, "he is a respectable and a
responsible merchant; and I was in no want of the money."

"Indeed, Mrs. Turner, he is no such thing."

"Then what is he?"

"He is one of your gentlemen about town, and lives, I suppose, by
gambling. At least such is the reputation he bears. I thought you
perfectly understood this."

"How cruelly I have been deceived!" said Mrs. Turner, unable to
command her feelings; and rising, she left the table in charge of
Mary.

On examining Mr. and Mrs. Cameron's room, their trunk was found, but
it was empty. The owners of it, of course, came not back to claim
their property.

The result of this year's experience in keeping boarders, was an
income of just $886