fficulties that lay
before him, and overcome them, if there was any virtue in energy and
perseverance.

The first point at which the business suffered was in the loss of
consignments. Inability to make the required advances turned from the
warehouse of Eldridge large lots of goods almost weekly, the profits on
the sales of which would have been a handsome addition to his income.
At the end of three months, the first note of a thousand dollars held
by Dalton fell due, and was paid. This was so much more taken from his
capital. Another month brought a payment of a like amount, and at the
end of six months a thousand dollars more were paid. Thus Dalton had
been able to get eleven thousand dollars out of the concern, although
three years before he was not really worth a dollar; and there were
still due him seven thousand dollars.

By this time, the eyes of Eldridge were beginning to open to the truth.
Suspicion being once finally awakened, he entered upon a careful
examination of the business from the time of forming the copartnership.
This occupied him for some weeks before he was able to bring out a
clear and comprehensive exhibit of affairs. Then he saw that he had
been the victim of a specious and cunning scoundrel, and that, so far
from being worth a dollar, he had obligations falling due for over ten
thousand dollars more than he had the means to pay.

A sad and disheartening result! And what added to the pain of Eldridge
was the fact, that he should have been so weak and short-sighted as to
permit himself to be thus duped and cheated.

"I knew how it would be," said Mr. Hueston, coolly, when he was told
that Eldridge was in difficulties. "Nothing else was to have been
expected."

"Why so?" inquired the person to whom the remark was made.

"Everybody knows Dalton to be a sharper. Eldridge is not his first
victim."

"I did not know it."

"I did, then, and prophesied just this result."

"You?"

"Yes, certainly I did. I knew exactly how it must turn out. And here's
the end, as I predicted."

This was said with great self-complacency.

Soon after the conversation, a young man, named Williams, who had only
a year before married the daughter of Mr. Hueston, came into his store
with a look of trouble on his countenance. His business was that of an
exchange-broker, and in conducting it he was using the credit of his
father-in-law quite liberally.

"What's the matter?" inquired Mr. Hueston, seeing, by the exp