will prove anything.

I promised to ask Mrs. Hoggarty once more for the money, and she seemed
not to be disinclined. I told him so; and that day he called upon her,
his wife called upon her, his daughter called upon her, and once more the
Brough carriage-and-four was seen at our house.

But Mrs. Brough was a bad manager; and, instead of carrying matters with
a high hand, fairly burst into tears before Mrs. Hoggarty, and went down
on her knees and besought her to save dear John. This at once aroused my
aunt's suspicions; and instead of lending the money, she wrote off to Mr.
Smithers instantly to come up to her, desired me to give her up the
3,000_l_. scrip shares that I possessed, called me an atrocious cheat and
heartless swindler, and vowed I had been the cause of her ruin.

How was Mr. Brough to get the money? I will tell you. Being in his room
one day, old Gates the Fulham porter came and brought him from Mr. Balls,
the pawnbroker, a sum of 1,200_l_. Missus told him, he said, to carry
the plate to Mr. Balls; and having paid the money, old Gates fumbled a
great deal in his pockets, and at last pulled out a 5_l_. note, which he
said his daughter Jane had just sent him from service, and begged Mr. B.
would let him have another share in the Company. "He was mortal sure it
would go right yet. And when he heard master crying and cursing as he
and missus were walking in the shrubbery, and saying that for the want of
a few pounds--a few shillings--the finest fortune in Europe was to be
overthrown, why Gates and his woman thought that they should come
for'ard, to be sure, with all they could, to help the kindest master and
missus ever was."

This was the substance of Gates's speech; and Mr. Brough shook his hand
and--took the 5_l_. "Gates," said he, "that 5_l_. note shall be the best
outlay you ever made in your life!" and I have no doubt it was,--but it
was in heaven that poor old Gates was to get the interest of his little
mite.

Nor was this the only instance. Mrs. Brough's sister, Miss Dough, who
had been on bad terms with the Director almost ever since he had risen to
be a great man, came to the office with a power of attorney, and said,
"John, Isabella has been with me this morning, and says you want money,
and I have brought you my 4,000_l_.; it is all I have, John, and pray God
it may do you good--you and my dear sister, who was the best sister in
the world to me--till--till a little time ago."

And s