Beechwood."

There was great applause and filling of glasses; great smiling and
whispering; everybody glancing at poor Guy, who turned red and white,
and evidently wished himself a hundred miles off. In the confusion I
felt my sleeve touched, and saw leaning towards me, hidden by Maud's
laughing happy face, the old banker. He held in his hand the newspaper
which seemed to have so fascinated him.

"It's the London Gazette. Mr. Halifax gets it three hours before any
of us. I may open it? It is important to me. Mrs. Halifax would
excuse, eh?"

Of course she would. Especially if she had seen the old man's look, as
his trembling fingers vainly tried to unfold the sheet without a single
rustle's betraying his surreptitious curiosity.

Sir Herbert rose, cleared his throat, and began:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I speak as a father myself, and as son of a
father whom--whom I will not refer to here, except to say that his good
heart would have rejoiced to see this day. The high esteem in which
Sir Ralph always held Mr. Halifax, has descended, and will descend--"

Here some one called out:

"Mr. Jessop! Look at Mr. Jessop!"

The old man had suddenly sank back, with a sort of choking groan. His
eyes were staring blankly, his cheek was the colour of ashes. But when
he saw every one looking at him he tried desperately to recover himself.

"'Tis nothing. Nothing of the slightest moment. Eh?" clutching
tightly at the paper which Mrs. Halifax was kindly removing out of his
hand. "There's no news in it--none, I assure you."

But from his agitation--from the pitiful effort he made to disguise
it--it was plain enough that there was news. Plain also, as in these
dangerous and critical times men were only too quick to divine, in what
that news consisted. Tidings, which now made every newspaper a sight
of fear,--especially this--the London Gazette.

Edwin caught and read the fatal page--the fatal column--known only too
well.

"W----'s have stopped payment."

W----'s was a great London house, the favourite banking-house in our
country, with which many provincial banks, and Jessop's especially,
were widely connected, and would be no one knew how widely involved.

"W----'s stopped payment!"

A murmur--a hush of momentary suspense, as the Gazette was passed
hurriedly from hand to hand; and then our guests, one and all, sat
looking at one another in breathless fear, suspicion, or assured
dismay. For, as every one was