l always be happy to accommodate you in a
similar way. I generally have something over."

When Grasper returned to his own store, his cheek burned, his heart
beat quicker, and his breathing was oppressed. He felt humbled in his
own eyes. To the man whom he once so cruelly wronged he had been
compelled to go for a favour, and that man had generously returned him
good for evil. He was unhappy until he could replace the money he had
borrowed, which was in a day or two, and even then he still felt very
uncomfortable.

After this, Grasper of course was frequently driven to the necessity of
getting temporary loans from Layton, which were always made in a way
which showed that it gave his neighbour real pleasure to accommodate
him.

Gradually, difficulties gathered around Grasper so thickly, that he
found it almost impossible to keep his head above water. Two thirds of
his time were spent in efforts to raise money to meet his payments, and
the other third in brooding sadly and inactively over the embarrassed
condition of his affairs. This being the case, his business suffered
inevitably. Instead of going on and making handsome profits, as he had
once done, he was actually losing money, and that, too, rapidly; for,
when he bought, he often made imprudent purchases, and when he sold, he
made three bad debts where he formerly made one.

At last, a crisis came in his affairs, as come it must, sooner or
later, under such a system. A stoppage and ruin he saw to be
inevitable. He owed more borrowed money than he could possibly return
within the time for which he had obtained it, and had, besides, large
payments to make in bank within the period. Any effort to get through,
he saw would be hopeless, and he determined to give up; not, however,
without securing something for himself.

"Twenty cents less in the dollar for my creditors," he argued, "will
not kill them, and that difference will be quite important to me. When
the storm blows over, it will give me the means of hoisting sail again."

At this time, Grasper owed Layton two thousand dollars borrowed money,
and two thousand dollars in notes of hand, given for goods purchased of
him.

"It won't do," he said to himself, "to let _him_ lose any thing. I
should never be able to look him in the face again, after what has
happened between us. No--no--I must see _him_ safe."

On the next day, Grasper called in to see Layton. His face was serious.

"Can I say a word to you alone