husband retreated precipitately,
and sought his place of business. He sighed as he took his seat upon
a counting-house stool at the desk, and commenced turning over the
pages of various large account-books. While thus engaged, a person
entered his store, and was shown back to that portion of it where he
had retired. Mr. Tompkins looked up on hearing his name pronounced,
and met the steady eye of one whose presence was not very agreeable
to him just at that time.

"Ah, Mr. Wolford! How are you to-day? I am glad to see you," he
said, with an effort to seem pleased and indifferent.

"Very well. How are you?" was the blunt response.

"Take a chair, Mr. Wolford."

The visitor sat down, with considerable emphasis in his manner,
threw one leg over the other, and leaned back in his chair. Tompkins
was nervous. His effort to seem at ease led him into overaction.

He smiled, or rather smirked--for a smile is always natural, never
forced--and introduced various topics of conversation, one after the
other, with the manner of a man whose thoughts were far away from
his words, and who yet wished to be very agreeable to a personage
from whom he wished a favour.

"What do you think of the news from Washington to-day, Mr. Wolford?
Strange doings there!"

"Rather."

"Our party were completely outgeneralled in that measure."

"Yes."

"Bad news from London."

"Yes, bad enough."

"It has played the mischief with stocks."

"Thank fortune, I don't deal in stocks."

And thus Tompkins run on, and Wolford replied cold and sententiously
for some ten minutes. Then there came a pause, and the two men
looked into each other's faces for a short time, without either of
them speaking.

"The year for which I loaned you ten thousand dollars expires next
week," said Wolford, in a quiet tone, breaking the silence.

"Does it?" returned Tompkins, affecting surprise. "I had no idea the
time was so near being up. Are you sure?"

"I never make mistakes in such matters, Mr. Tompkins, and can't
understand how other people can."

"Creditors are said to have better memories than debtors," replied
Tompkins, attempting something like pleasantry.

"Yes--I know. You will, of course, be prepared to take up the
mortgage upon your property?"

"I am afraid not, Mr. Wolford. Money is exceedingly tight. But as
your security is perfectly good, and you do not want the money, you
will let the matter remain as it is for a little while longer?"

"I