te certain I
was about to succeed."

"Indeed!" said Mrs. Morris, sarcastically. "_My_ theory about young
ladies excludes secrets altogether. It assumes them to be candid and
open-hearted. They who walk openly and on the high-road want little
guidance beyond the dictates of a right purpose. Go to your room, Clara,
and I 'll be with you presently." These latter words were spoken in
perfect calm, and obeyed at once. Mrs. Morris was now alone with Sir
William.

The Baronet felt ill at ease. With a perfect consciousness of honorable
motives, there is an awkwardness in situations which seem to require
explanation, if not excuse, and he waited, in a sort of fidgety
impatience, that she should say something that might enable him to state
what had occurred between Clara and himself.

"I hope you are better than when I left you this morning?" said she,
as she untied her bonnet and seated herself in front of him.

"Scarcely so; these pains recur at every instant, and my nerves are
shattered with irritability."

"I 'm sorry for it, for you have need of all your firmness; bad news has
come from America."

"Bad news? What sort of bad news? Is there a war--"

"A war!" said she, contemptuously. "I wish it _was_ a war! It's far
worse than war. It's general bankruptcy. All the great houses breaking,
and securities utterly valueless."

"Well, bad enough, no doubt, but it does not immediately concern _us_,"
said he, quickly.

"Not concern us! Why, what have we been doing these last months but
buying into this share-market? Have we not invested largely in Kansas
stock, in Iroquois and in Texan bonds?"

Whether he had not originally understood the transfers in which he
had borne his part, or whether the pain of his seizure had effaced all
memory of the events, he now sat bewildered and astounded, like one
suddenly aroused from a deep sleep, to listen to disastrous news.

"But I don't understand," cried he. "I cannot see how all this has
been done. I heard you and Trover discussing it together, and I saw
innumerable colored plans of railroads that were to be, and cities that
must be, and I remember something about lands to be purchased for two
dollars and re-sold for two hundred."

"And, by all that, you have confessed to know everything that _I_ did,"
said she, firmly. "It was explained to you that, instead of muddling
away upon mortgage at home, some thirty or even forty per cent might be
realized in the States. I showed you