s had gone too
far, and that the names of Greenleaf and Egremont could only be
preserved from actual dishonour by going into liquidation, dissolving
partnership, and thus getting quit of Goodenough.

Mark listened resignedly, Annaple with an intelligence that made Mr.
Dutton think her the more clearheaded of the two, though still she
could not refrain from her little jokes. 'I'm sure I should not mind
how liquid we became if we could only run off clear of Goodenough,' she
said.

'You know what it means?' said her husband.

'Oh yes, I know what it means. It is the fine word for being sold up.
Well, Mark, never mind, we are young and strong, and it will not be a
bit the worse for the Billy-boy in the end to begin at the bottom of
everything.'

'I hope--may I ask--is everything embarked in the poor old firm?' said
Mr. Dutton with some hesitation.

'All that is mine,' said Mark, with his elbow on the table and his chin
on his hand.

'But I've got a hundred a year, charged on poor old Ronnisglen's
estate,' said Annaple. 'All the others gave theirs up when they
married, and I wanted to do so, but my dear mother would not let me;
she said I had better try how I got on first. Think of that, Mark, a
hundred a year! Why, old Gunner or Thorpe would think themselves
rolling in riches if they only heard that they had a hundred a year!'

'You won't find it go far!'

'Yes, I shall, for I shall make you live on porridge, with now and then
a sheep's head for a treat! Besides, there will be something to do.
It will be working up again, you know. But seriously, Mr. Dutton, I
have some things here of my dear mother's that really belong to
Ronnisglen, and I was only keeping till he comes home. Should not they
be got out of the way?'

'My dear, we are not come to that yet! I hope it may be averted!'
cried Mark.

But Mr. Dutton agreed with the young wife that it would be much better
to send these things away before their going could excite suspicion.
There was only a tiny silver saucepan, valued as a gift of 'Queen'
Clementina to an ancestress, also a silver teapot and some old point,
and some not very valuable jewellery, all well able to go into a small
box, which Mr. Dutton undertook to deposit with Lord Ronnisglen's
bankers. He was struck with the scrupulous veracity with which Annaple
decided between what had become her own property and the heirlooms,
though what she claimed might probably be sacrificed to the credi