enthusiasm which may have betrayed
me. "I agree with every word you have said."

"See those perfect yellows against that bar of vivid red," she said,
pointing to the west, where the sky quivered with a naming sunset. "See
how the light flashes from the windows of the club house! One would
think it filled with molten metal. How sharp the old church belfry shows
against that mass of golden cloud to the northwest!"

We watched this glorious scene in silence until the upper rim of the sun
sank beneath the rounded crest of "Old Baldy." Then I helped her down
and we walked slowly back to the club house.

Have I not the right to assume that Miss Harding "likes me well enough
to encourage my attentions," which is her definition of a flirtation? I
believe I have. I know that other young gentlemen belonging to the club
have attempted in vain to compete with me for the favour of her society.
All have failed--Carter alone excepted. But recently I have been with
her more than has Carter. In fact I fear him less at the present moment
than I have at any time. I shall soon know my fate.

For the first time the strain of my stock operations is telling on me. I
have now purchased 35,000 shares of N.O. & G., and the market for it
closed to-night at 60. If I were forced to settle at this figure I would
be about $345,000 loser. If the stock is valueless, as some of the
experts are now declaring, I am liable for nearly $2,000,000 more.

I have converted everything except my equity in Woodvale into money, and
counting the margins in the hands of my brokers I find that I have
nearly $3,000,000. I suppose I could get out with a loss of half a
million, and there are moments when my cowardice struggles against me
and when I am tempted to abandon this hazardous enterprise.

I shall stick it out, however. I know the conspiracy which has been
hatched, and I do not believe they will dare force the price down much
lower. I am going to buy another block of ten thousand shares if it
continues to decline, and then await developments. If it goes to zero I
shall still have a little money left, and I shall have the income from
the old farm--but I shall not have the hardihood to ask for the hand of
Grace Harding.

You may talk as much as you please but money is a commanding factor in
love and marriage. It is all very well for a wealthy man to fall in love
and marry a poor girl, but it is an entirely different thing for a poor
man to aspire to the hand