it could have been
expended on the consideration of the next best thing to be done, not only
would he have discovered what the next best thing was, but the dreadful
energy of his imagination would have been enfeebled. He was sitting at
his desk at the back of the shop with his head propped on his elbows,
when he heard a soft footstep behind him. He turned round: it was
Catharine.

"Dearest father," she said, "what is the matter? Why do you not tell
me?"

"I am a ruined man. The bank refuses to make any further advances to me,
and I cannot go on."

Catharine was not greatly surprised.

"Look at that," he said. "I don't know what to do; it is as if my head
were going wrong. If I had lost a lot of money through a bad debt it
would be different, but it is not that: the business has been going down
bit by bit. There is nothing before us but starvation."

Catharine glanced at the abstract of the balance-sheet.

"You must call your creditors together and make a proposal to them. You
will then start fair, and we will reduce our expenses. Nothing will be
easier. We will live at the shop again; you will be able to look after
things properly, and everything will go right--it will, indeed, father."

She was very tender with him, and her love and counsel revived his
spirits. Suddenly she was seized with a fit of coughing, and had to sit
down. He thought he saw a red stain on the pocket-handkerchief she put
to her mouth.

"You shall not stay in this cold shop, my dear; you ought not to have
come out."

"Nonsense, father! There is nothing the matter. Have you a list of your
creditors?"

"Yes; there it is."

She glanced at it, and to her amazement saw Mr. Cardew's name down for
100 pounds.

"Mr. Cardew, father?"

"Yes; he came in one day, and said that he had some money lying idle, and
did not know what to do with it. I was welcome to it if I wanted it for
the business."

A statement was duly prepared by Mr. Askew, Mr. Furze's solicitor; the
usual notice was sent round, and the meeting took place in a room at the
Bell. A composition of seven-and-sixpence in the pound was offered, to
be paid within a twelvemonth, with a further half-crown in two years'
time, the debtor undertaking to give up his house in the Terrace.

"Considering," said the lawyer, "that the debts owing to the estate are
nearly all good, although just now it is difficult to realise, I think,
gentlemen, you are safe, and I may add t