re of things here to-day, and after a
good sleep you'll find yourself all right again."

"Very well, Kirby," replied Mr. French, "I feel as weak as water, but
I'm all here. It might have been much worse. You'll call up Mrs.
Jerviss, of course, and let her know about the sale?"

When Mr. French, escorted to the cab by his partner, and accompanied
by a clerk, had left for home, Kirby rang up the doctor, and requested
him to look after Mr. French immediately. He then called for another
number, and after the usual delay, first because the exchange girl was
busy, and then because the line was busy, found himself in
communication with the lady for whom he had asked.

"It's all right, Mrs. Jerviss," he announced without preliminaries.
"Our terms accepted, and payment to be made, in cash and bonds, as
soon as the papers are executed, when you will be twice as rich as you
are to-day."

"Thank you, Mr. Kirby! And I suppose I shall never have another happy
moment until I know what to do with it. Money is a great trial. I
often envy the poor."

Kirby smiled grimly. She little knew how near she had been to ruin.
The active partners had mercifully shielded her, as far as possible,
from the knowledge of their common danger. If the worst happened, she
must know, of course; if not, then, being a woman whom they both
liked--she would be spared needless anxiety. How closely they had
skirted the edge of disaster she did not learn until afterward;
indeed, Kirby himself had scarcely appreciated the true situation, and
even the senior partner, since he had not been present at the meeting
of the trust managers, could not know what had been in their minds.

But Kirby's voice gave no hint of these reflections. He laughed a
cheerful laugh. "If the world only knew," he rejoined, "it would
cease to worry about the pains of poverty, and weep for the woes of
wealth."

"Indeed it would!" she replied, with a seriousness which seemed almost
sincere. "Is Mr. French there? I wish to thank him, too."

"No, he has just gone home."

"At this hour?" she exclaimed, "and at such a time? What can be the
matter? Is Phil worse?"

"No, I think not. Mr. French himself had a bad turn, for a few
minutes, after we learned the news."

Faces are not yet visible over the telephone, and Kirby could not see
that for a moment the lady's grew white. But when she spoke again the
note of concern in her voice was very evident.

"It was nothing--serious?"

"Oh,