originally, of his own, the
money would have to come out of his pocket. The ruin of which the young
man talked was more in his imagination than anywhere else, as Mr.
Hueston was able enough to sustain him in his difficulty.

In the winding up of the affairs of Eldridge, who stopped payment on
the day Williams announced to his father-in-law the fact that he held
his notes, every thing turned out as badly as Mr. Hueston had
predicted. The unhappy young man was almost beside himself with
trouble, mortification, and disappointment. Not only had he lost every
thing he possessed in the world; he was deeply involved in debt
besides, and his good name was gone. A marriage contract, into which he
had entered, was broken off in consequence; the father of the lady
demanding of him a release of the engagement in a way so insulting,
that the young man flung insult back into his teeth, and never after
went near his house.

For months after the disastrous termination of his business, Eldridge
lingered about the city in a miserable state of mind. Some friends
obtained for him a situation as clerk, but he did not keep the place
very long; it seemed almost impossible for him to fix his attention
upon any thing. This neglect of the interests of his employer was so
apparent, that he was dismissed from his place at the end of a few
months. This increased the morbid despondency under which he was
labouring, and led to an almost total abandonment of himself. In less
than a year, he was travelling swiftly along the road to utter ruin.

One day, it was just twelve months from the time of Eldridge's failure,
Mr. Hueston stood conversing with a gentleman, when the unhappy young
man went reeling by, so much intoxicated that he with difficulty kept
his feet.

"Poor fellow!" said the gentleman, in a tone of pity. "He was badly
dealt by."

"There is no doubt of that," returned Mr. Hueston. "Dalton managed his
cards with his usual skill. But I knew how it would be from the first.
I knew that Dalton was a knave at heart, and would overreach him."

"You did?" was rejoined, with a look and tone of surprise.

"Oh, yes. I predicted, from the beginning, the very result that has
come out."

"You warned the young man, of course?" inquired the gentleman.

"No."

"What! Saw him in the hands of a sharper, and gave him no warning?"

"I never meddle in other people's affairs. I find as much as I can do
to take proper care of my own."

"And yet, if