broker to whom
he gave orders to purchase shares weeks ago, orders faithfully carried
out. The shares were now his, but a turn of the market had made them
quite worthless. Nevertheless, they must be paid for.

He sighed heavily as he pocketed the bishop's letter. His affairs were in
a more hopeless tangle than he had imagined. Seven hundred and fifty for
Dick, and a thousand for the broker--seventeen hundred and fifty dollars
more to be raised at once; and the two thousand just received from
Herresford all gone.

Netty entered the room at the moment.

"Ah, here you are, father!" she cried, going over to the hearthrug and
dropping down before the fire. "Why didn't you come in to breakfast?
Didn't you hear the gong? Dick went off at eight, and I've had to feed
all alone. The bacon is cold by now, I expect; but go and have some. I'll
wait here for you. I've got something to tell you."

"I don't want any breakfast, my child. I want to have a talk with you.
It's a long time since we had a chat, Netty. You're getting almost as
much a social personage as your mother. Very soon, there'll be no one to
keep the house warm, except the old man."

"You mustn't call yourself old. You're not even respectably middle-aged.
But what do you want to talk to me about?"

"Money, my dear, money."

"Money! Oh, dear! no--nothing so horrid. This is a red-letter day for me;
and, when you talk about money, it turns everything gray."

"Yes, yes, I know it's not a pleasant subject; but, you see, we must talk
about it, sometimes. You've been attending to the house-keeping lately,
and I want you to try and cut down the expenses. I've had bad news this
morning, news which I shall have to worry your mother about. By the way,
what is she doing now?"

"I hope she's asleep. You mustn't worry her, you really mustn't. She's
had a dreadful night, and her head's awful--and you mustn't worry me. The
house-keeping is all right. It worried me, I hate it so. Jane's doing it,
and she's more than careful--she's mean. And, now, my news. Can't you
guess it? No, you'll never guess. Look!" the girl held out her hand.

"And what am I to look at?"

"Can't you see?--the ring! It's been in his family hundreds of years; but
it's nothing compared to the other jewels; they are magnificent, worth a
king's ransom. Why don't you say something--something nice and pretty and
appropriate? You know you can make awfully nice speeches when you like,
father--and I'm waiting