neered at. Let them look to the Eastmans. They might
have known that a small manufacturing town like Yerbury could not stand
such galloping progress. In his heart of hearts he thought George and
Horace rather clever fellows to get away before the crash began. And if
David Lawrence had only managed to provide well for his family,--his
manifest duty,--the rest might have gone without a sigh, such trifles as
notes and wages.

Fred Lawrence he looked upon as a baby. Indeed, Fred was of but little
use in settling the business, much more plague than profit, since he
stood up stoutly for his father's honor and integrity. He had that much
of a son's love. And he characterized Horace Eastman's villany as it
deserved: his education had not quite done away with his moral sense in
such matters.

"Here for five years your father has given him a clean sweep with every
thing! If you thrust temptation right in a man's way, what can you
expect?"

"His honesty would not be of a very high order if it could withstand no
temptation," Fred answered rather scornfully. "It was necessary for
father to travel in the interests of the business. He surely could not
stay here to watch him. And you thought well of Eastman."

"No man would play _me_ such rascally tricks! There is no telling what
he has done! Books can be doctored to look very fair."

But they found enough. Pay-rolls for men kept up long after they had
been discharged, and many who had never been at all; systematic
falsifications that could not be brought to light without a rigid
inspection and comparison by an expert. But Hamilton Minor felt, with
the world's wisdom, that bringing the Eastmans back as criminals would
not be likely to lead to any restoration; while it would prove a family
disgrace, and perhaps add Gertrude to the list of dependent ones.

"It makes me heart-sick!" declared Fred. "There is nothing but
selfishness and hollowness and greed. Are truth and honor quite dead?"

"Very fine talk, my young friend," said Minor in a sneering tone; "but
the question that more nearly concerns you is how you are all going to
live, granting even that there may be enough to pay the debts. Of course
this great house cannot be kept afloat. You had better discharge some of
the servants, and retrench while you do remain in it."

Then had followed the talk with Agatha, when matrimony was proposed as a
certain and sure remedy for these present ills: a cure the young man
disdained wit