lp quite as
much as you."

"Ah," said Kit, "I think I see! You used _my_ name. What was the sum for
which you made me responsible?"

Gerald told him and waited anxiously when Kit knitted his brows. The sum
was not so large as the latter had thought and Osborn's inability to
raise it indicated that he was seriously embarrassed.

"I understand your father applied to Thorn," said Kit. "Does he know you
have come to me?"

"He does not; nobody knows but Grace. I'd better state that I did
come because I thought you'd take a generous line, and I'm doubtful
about Thorn."

Kit made a sign of understanding. "Thorn hasn't arrived yet?" he said.

"He sent a note he'd come across, but when I left he hadn't arrived. My
notion is he's waiting until the last moment, with the object of making
us realize we must have his help."

"It's possible," said Kit, who approved Gerald's handling of the matter.
The lad was a wastrel, but he had run some risk in order to save his
sister from being forced to pay for his fault. "We won't bother about
Thorn's object," he resumed. "Tell me about your difficulties. I don't
want a half confidence."

Gerald hesitated and then began his tale. He had used the bank's money
to speculate with and had lost. Plunging again, in the hope of getting
straight, he had got alarmed when the margin shrank, and had gone to
Hallam, the money-lender. The latter had insisted on a guarantee for the
bill and Gerald had used Kit's name. He replaced the bank's money and had
hoped the shares would go up before the bill fell due, but they had not.

"Well," said Kit quietly, "I expected something like this, and when the
fellow brings the bill to your father it must be met." He stopped and
picking up a newspaper studied the steamship advertisements. Then he
turned to Gerald.

"There's another thing. You can't get a post in England, and for your
mother's and sister's sakes, had better leave the country. A fast New
York boat sails from Liverpool to-morrow. You must get off by
to-night's train."

Gerald looked at him with surprise. "But I'm not going to New York. I've
no money and don't know what to do when I get there."

"I'll fix that," Kit said dryly. "You are going, anyhow. If you deliver
the letter I'll give you to some people in Mobile, they'll find you a
job. The rest will depend upon yourself."

For a few moments Gerald hesitated, and then got up. "Very well!
Perhaps it's the best chance I'll get, and I'll take