am ashamed to say
that for a few days back I haven't looked at a quotation. I suppose you
must have carried me to some extent. How much was it?"

"Wa'al," said David, "I kept the trade margined, of course, an' if we'd
sold out at the bottom you'd have owed me somewhere along a thousan' or
fifteen hunderd; but," he added, "it was only in the slump, an' didn't
last long, an' anyway I cal'lated to carry that pork to where it would
'a' ketched fire. I wa'n't worried none, an' you didn't let on to be,
an' so I didn't say anythin'."

"What do you think about it now?" asked John.

"My opinion is now," replied Mr. Harum, "that it's goin' to putty near
where it belongs, an' mebbe higher, an' them 's my advices. We can sell
now at some profit, an' of course the bears 'll jump on agin as it goes
up, an' the other fellers 'll take the profits f'm time to time. If I
was where I could watch the market, I'd mebbe try to make a turn in 't
'casionally, but I guess as 't is we'd better set down an' let her take
her own gait. I don't mean to try an' git the top price--I'm alwus
willin' to let the other feller make a little--but we've waited fer
quite a spell, an' as it's goin' our way, we might 's well wait a little
longer."

"All right," said John, "and I'm very much obliged to you."

"Sho, sho!" said David.

It was not until August, however, that the deal was finally closed out.

CHAPTER XLIII.

The summer was drawing to a close. The season, so far as the social part
of it was concerned, had been what John had grown accustomed to in
previous years, and there were few changes in or among the people whom
he had come to know very well, save those which a few years make in
young people: some increase of importance in demeanor on the part of the
young men whose razors were coming into requisition; and the changes
from short to long skirts, from braids, pig-tails, and flowing-manes to
more elaborate coiffures on the part of the young women. The most
notable event had been the reopening of the Verjoos house, which had
been closed for two summers, and the return of the family, followed by
the appearance of a young man whom Miss Clara had met abroad, and who
represented himself as the acknowledged _fiance_ of that young woman. It
need hardly be said that discussions of the event, and upon the
appearance, manners, prospects, etc., of that fortunate gentleman had
formed a very considerable part of the talk of the season among the