which the oil-wells are situated which constitute the only
security of the shareholders. Certain people have gone so far as to
doubt even the existence of such oil-wells."

And in another place, under the head of local items:--

"The palace of Count Ville-Handry was sold last week. This magnificent
building, with the princely real estate belonging to it, was knocked
down to the highest bidder for the sum of one hundred and seventy-five
thousand dollars. The misfortune is, that house and lot are burdened
with mortgages, which amount together to nearly a hundred thousand
dollars."

Henrietta was overcome, and had sunk into a chair.

"But that is simply infamous," she stammered out in an almost inaudible
tone. "Nobody will believe such atrocious libels."

Pale and deeply grieved, Papa Ravinet and his sister exchanged looks of
distress. Evidently the poor girl did not at all realize the terrible
nature of the circumstances. And yet, seeing her thus crushed, they did
not dare to enlighten her. At last the old dealer, knowing but too
well that uncertainty is more agonizing than the most painful reality,
said,--

"Your father is fearfully calumniated. But I have tried to inform
myself. Two facts are but too certain. Count Ville-Handry is ruined; and
the shares of the company of which he is the president have fallen to
five dollars, because"--

His voice changed, and he added in a very low tone,--

"Because it is believed that the capital of the company has been
appropriated to other purposes, and lost in speculations on 'Change."

The poor old dealer was suffering intensely, and showed it.

"Ah, madam, perfectly as I am convinced of Count Ville-Handry's
uprightness and integrity, I also know that he was utterly ignorant of
business. What did he understand of these speculations into which he was
drawn? Nothing. It is a difficult and often a dangerous thing to manage
large capitals. They have no doubt deceived him, cheated him, misled
him, and driven him at last to the verge of bankruptcy."

"Who?"

Papa Ravinet trembled on his chair, and, raising his hands to the
ceiling, exclaimed,--

"Who? You ask who? Why, those who had an interest in it, the wretches by
whom he was surrounded,--Sarah, Sir Thorn"--

Henrietta shook her head and said,--

"_I_ do not think the Countess Sarah looked with a favorable eye upon
the formation of this company."

And, when objection was made, she went on,--

"Besides, wha