en by surprise. Polly could n't distinguish a word, so she kept
her seat, wondering anxiously what was going on between the two men. A
sudden pause seemed to follow Tom's ejaculation, then Mr. Shaw talked a
long time in a low, earnest tone, so different from the angry one Polly
had expected to hear, that it made her nervous, for Mr. Shaw usually
"blew Tom up first, and forgave him afterward," as Maud said. Presently
Tom's voice was heard, apparently asking eager questions, to which brief
replies were given. Then a dead silence fell upon the room, and nothing
was heard but the spring rain softly falling out of doors. All of a
sudden she heard a movement, and Tom's voice say audibly, "Let me bring
Polly;" and he appeared, looking so pale and miserable that Polly was
frightened.

"Go and say something to him; I can't; poor old father, if I 'd only
known," and to Polly's utter dismay, Tom threw himself into a chair, and
laid his head down on the table, as if he had got a blow that was too
much for him.

"Oh, Tom, what is it?" cried Polly, hurrying to him, full of fears she
dared not speak.

Without looking up, Tom answered, in a smothered voice, "Failed; all
gone to smash; and to-morrow every one will know it."

Polly held on to the back of Tom's chair, for a minute, for the news
took her breath away, and she felt as if the world was coming to an end,
"failed" was such a vaguely dreadful word to her.

"Is it very bad?" she asked, softly, feeling as if anything was better
than to stand still and see Tom so wretched.

"Yes; he means to give up everything. He 's done his best; but it can't
be staved off any longer, and it 's all up with him."

"Oh, I wish I had a million to give him!" cried Polly, clasping her
hands, with the tears running down her cheeks. "How does he bear it,
Tom?"

"Like a man, Polly; and I 'm proud of him," said Tom, looking up,
all red and excited with the emotions he was trying to keep under.
"Everything has been against him, and he has fought all alone to stand
the pressure, but it 's too much for him, and he 's given in. It 's an
honorable failure, mind you, and no one can say a word against him. I 'd
like to see 'em try it!" and Tom clenched his hands, as if it would
be an immense relief to him to thrash half a dozen aspersers of his
father's honest name.

"Of course they can't! This is what poor Maud troubled about. He had
told your mother and Fan before you came, and that is why they are