its assets.
Suddenly, however, bundle wools took an enormous rise, and as the
stock of "Callendar & Leslie" was mainly of this kind, they were
pushed on the market, and sold at a rate which reduced the firm's
debts to about L17,000. This piece of good fortune only irritated
David; he was sure now that if Robert had continued the fight they
would have been in a position to clear themselves. Still, whatever
credit was due the transaction was frankly given to David. It was his
commercial instinct that had divined the opportunity and seized it,
and a short item in the "Glasgow Herald" spoke in a cautiously
flattering way of the affair.

Both John and David were greatly pleased at the circumstance. David
also had been perfectly sober during the few days he had this stroke
of business in hand, and the public acknowledgment of his service to
the firm's creditors was particularly flattering to him. He came down
to breakfast that morning as he had not come for months. It was a
glimpse of the old Davie back again, and John was as happy as a child
in the vision. Into his heart came at once Dr. Morrison's assertion
that David must have some regular duty to keep his life erect. It was
evident that the obligation of a trust had a controlling influence
over him.

"David," he said cheerfully, "you must hae nearly done wi' that first
venture o' yours. The next will hae to redeem it; that is all about
it. Everything is possible to a man under forty years auld."

"We have our final meeting this afternoon, uncle. I shall lock the
doors for ever to-night."

"And your debts are na as much as you expected."

"They will not be over L17,000, and they may be considerably less. I
hope to make another sale this morning. There are yet three thousand
bundles in the stock."

"David, I shall put L20,000 in your ain name and for your ain use,
whatever that use may be, in the Western Bank this morning. I think
you'll do the best thing you can do to set your name clear again. If
you are my boy you will."

"Uncle John, you cannot really mean that I may pay every shilling I
owe, and go back on the Exchange with a white name? O uncle, if you
should mean this, what a man you would make of me!"

"It is just what I mean to do, Davie. Is na all that I have yours and
your children's? But oh, I thank God that you hae still a heart that
counts honor more than gold. David, after this I wont let go one o'
the hopes I have ever had for you."

"You need