g has happened, my love," the Colonel
said very sadly; "you must show all your strength of mind, for a great
misfortune has befallen us."

"Good heavens, Colonel, what is it? don't frighten my beloved child,"
cries the Campaigner, rushing towards her darling, and enveloping her
in her robust arms. "What can have happened, don't agitate this darling
child, sir," and she looked indignantly towards the poor Colonel.

"We have received the very worst news from Calcutta, a confirmation of
the news by the last mail, Clivey, my boy."

"It is no news to me. I have always been expecting it, father," says
Clive, holding down his head.

"Expecting what? What have you been keeping back from us? In what have
you been deceiving us, Colonel Newcome?" shrieks the Campaigner; and
Rosa, crying out, "Oh, mamma, mamma!" begins to whimper.

"The chief of the bank in India is dead," the Colonel went on. "He has
left its affairs in worse than disorder. We are, I fear, ruined, Mrs.
Mackenzie." And the Colonel went on to tell how the bank could not open
on Monday morning, and its bills to a great amount had already been
protested in the City that day.

Rosey did not understand half these news, or comprehend the calamity
which was to follow; but Mrs. Mackenzie, rustling in great wrath, made a
speech, of which the anger gathered as he proceeded; in which she vowed
and protested that her money, which the Colonel, she did not know from
what motives, had induced her to subscribe, should not be sacrificed,
and that have it she would, the bank shut or not, the next Monday
morning--that her daughter had a fortune of her own which her poor
dear brother James should have divided and would have divided much more
fairly, had he not been wrongly influenced--she would not say by whom,
and she commanded Colonel Newcome upon that instant, if he was, as he
always pretended to be, an honourable man, to give an account of her
blessed darling's property, and to pay back her own, every sixpence of
it. She would not lend it for an hour longer, and to see that that dear
blessed child now sleeping unconsciously upstairs, and his dear brothers
and sisters who might follow, for Rosey was a young woman, a poor
innocent creature, too young to be married, and never would have been
married had she listened to her mamma's advice. She demanded that the
baby, and all succeeding babies, should have their rights, and should be
looked to by their grandmother, if their fathe