saw that it was half an hour earlier than he usually came home. Eagerly
she bent her ear to listen. All was soon still. He had entered the
rooms below, or paused on the threshold. A few breathless moments
passed, then a smothered exclamation was heard, followed by two or
three heavy foot-falls and the jarring of the outer door. Mr. Ellis had
left the house!

"Gone! What does it mean?" exclaimed Mrs. Ellis, striking her hands
together, while a strange uneasiness fell upon her heart. A long time
she sat listening for sounds of his return; but she waited in vain. It
was fully an hour past their usual time for dining, when she sat down
to the table with her children, but not to partake of food herself.
Leaving Mrs. Ellis to pass the remainder of that unhappy day with her
own troubled and upbraiding thoughts, we will return to her husband,
and see how it fares with him.

CHAPTER XIX.

FOR hours after his wife had sunk into the forgetfulness of sleep,
Ellis lay awake, pondering over the ways and means by which he was to
meet his engagements for the next day, which, exclusive of Carlton's
demand, were in the neighbourhood of a thousand dollars. During the
previous two weeks, he had paid a good deal of money, but he was really
but little better off therefor, the money so paid having been mainly
procured through temporary loans from business friends. Most of it he
had promised to return on the morrow. Earnestly as the mind of Ellis
dwelt on the subject, he was not able to devise the means of getting
safely through the next day.

"And what if I do get over the difficult place?" was the desponding
conclusion of his mind--"ultimate failure is inevitable, unless a great
reduction can be made in expenses. At present, our living exceeds the
profits on my business. Ah! if I could only make Cara understand this!
She has been more considerate and wife-like of late; but I fear to say
one word about the embarrassed state of my affairs, lest the sunshine
of love be again darkened with clouds and storms."

With such thoughts in his mind, Ellis fell asleep.

On the next morning, he repaired early to his place of business, in
order to have time fully to digest his plan of operations for the day.
He had many doubts as to his ability to get through, but was resolute
not to yield without a vigorous struggle. Of the amount to be paid,
only four hundred was for notes in bank. The rest was on borrowed money
account. Fully an hour and