, and that even the
fluctuations in oil and ivory became secondary to this great object.

Next day, immediately after they had sat down to dinner, some letters
were handed in by the footman. "Forwarded on from the office, sir,"
said the flunkey. "The clerk says that Mr. Gilray was away and that he
did not like to open them."

"Just like him!" said Girdlestone, peevishly pushing back his plate of
soup. "I hate doing business out of hours." He tore the envelopes off
the various letters as he spoke. "What's this? Casks returned as per
invoice; that's all right. Note from Rudder & Saxe--that can be
answered to-morrow. Memorandum on the Custom duties at Sierra Leone.
Hallo! what have we here? 'My darling Tom'--who is this from--Yours
ever, Mary Ossary.' Why, it's one of young Dimsdale's love-letters which
has got mixed up with my business papers. Ha! ha! I must really
apologize to him for having opened it, but he must take his chance of
that, if he has his correspondence sent to the office. I take it for
granted that everything there is a business communication."

Kate's face grew very white as she listened. She ate little dinner that
day, poor child, and took the earliest opportunity of retiring to her
room.

"You did that uncommonly well, dad," said Ezra approvingly, after she
was gone. "It hit her hard, I could see that."

"I think it touched her pride. People should not have pride. We are
warned against it. Now, that same pride of hers will forbid her ever
thinking of that young man again."

"And you had the letter written?"

"I wrote it myself. I think, in such a case, any stratagem is
justifiable. Such large interests are at stake that we must adopt
strong measures. I quite agree with the old Churchmen that the end
occasionally justifies the means."

"Capital, dad; very good!" cried Ezra, chewing his toothpick. "I like
to hear you argue. It's quite refreshing."

"I act according to the lights which are vouchsafed me," said John
Girdlestone gravely; on which Ezra leaned back in his chair and laughed
heartily.

The very next morning the merchant spoke to Dimsdale on the matter, for
he had observed signs of impatience in the young man, and feared that
some sudden impulse might lead him to break his promise and so upset
everything.

"Take a seat. I should like to have a word with you," he said
graciously, when his junior partner appeared before him to consult with
him as to the duties