lady in the
rooms, and as for the handkerchiefS, I could see envy in fifty eyes,
when their owners heard the price."

"That is all, dear--they DID envy you, and no wonder they
stared--nothing makes people stare like envy. I thought this
handkerchief would make a commotion. Oh! I used to stare myself when
envious."

"Still it was odd that Morgan Morely did not ask me to dance--he knows
how fond I am of dancing, and for the credit of so beautiful a
handkerchief, he ought to have been more than usually attentive
to-night."

Mrs. Halfacre gaped, and declared that she was both tired and sleepy,
which put an end to conversation until the carriage reached her own
door.

Both Mrs. Halfacre and Eudosia were surprised to find the husband and
father still up. He was pacing the drawing-room, by the light of a
single tallow candle, obviously in great mental distress.

"Bless me!" exclaimed the wife--"YOU up at this hour?--what CAN have
happened? what HAS come to our door?"

"Nothing but beggary," answered the man, smiling with a bitterness
which showed he felt an inhuman joy, at that fierce moment, in making
others as miserable as himself. "Yes, Mrs. Henry Halfacre--yes, Miss
Eudosia Halfacre, you are both beggars--I hope that, at least, will
satisfy you."

"You mean, Henry, that you have failed?" For that was a word too
familiar in New York not to be understood even by the ladies. "Tell me
the worst at once--is it true, HAVE you failed?"

"It IS true--I HAVE failed. My notes have been this day protested for
ninety-five thousand dollars, and I have not ninety-five dollars in
bank. To-morrow, twenty-three thousand more will fall due, and this
month will bring round quite a hundred and thirty thousand more. That
accursed removal of the deposits, and that tiger, Jackson, have done it
all."

To own the truth, both the ladies were a little confounded. They wept,
and for some few minutes there was a dead silence, but curiosity soon
caused them both to ask questions.

"This is very dreadful, and with our large family!" commenced the
mother--"and so the general has it all to answer for--why did you let
him give so many notes for you?"

"No--no--it is not that--I gave the notes myself; but he removed the
deposits, I tell you."

"It's just like him, the old wretch! To think of his removing your
deposits, just as you wanted them so much yourself! But why did the
clerks at the bank let him have them--they ought to have known t