e."

"I beg your pardon, Grace," said Mr. Carden, entering with some printed
papers in his hand. "That is not the only use of an insurance. He may
want to marry, or to borrow a sum of money to begin business; and then
a policy of insurance, with two or three premiums paid, smooths the
difficulty. Everybody should make a will, and everybody should insure
his life."

"Well then, sir, I will do both."

"Stop!" said Mr. Carden, who could now afford to be candid. "First of
all, you ought to satisfy yourself of the flourishing condition of the
company." He handed him a prospectus. "This will show you our capital,
and our disbursements last year, and the balance of profit declared. And
this gives the balance sheet of the 'Vulture' and the 'Falcon,' which
have assigned their business to us, and are now incorporated in the
'Gosshawk.'"

"Oh, what a voracious bird!" observed Grace. "I hope these other
chickabiddies will not prove indigestible. Were they plucked first,
papa? or did the 'Gosshawk' swallow them feathers and all?"

Little laughed heartily at this pert sally, but Mr. Carden winced under
it.

Then Grace saw she was not quite weaponless, and added, "After such a
meal, as that, Mr. Little, you will go down like a crumb."

"Grace, that is enough," said Mr. Carden, rather severely.

Grace held her tongue directly, and the water came into her eyes.
Anything like serious remonstrance was a novelty to her.

When Henry had read the papers, Mr. Carden asked him, rather carelessly,
what sum he wished to be insured for.

Now Henry had so little wish about the matter, that he had not given it
a thought, and the question took him quite aback. He looked helplessly
at Jael. To his surprise, she decided on the sum for him, without a
moment's hesitation, and conveyed the figure with that dexterity which
the simplest of her sex can command whenever telegraphy is wanted. She
did it with two unbroken movements; she put up all the fingers of her
right hand to her brow, and that meant five: then she turned her hand
rapidly, so as to hide her mouth from the others, who were both on her
right hand, and she made the word thousand clear, with her lips and
tongue, especially the "th."

But the sum staggered Henry; and made him think he must be
misinterpreting her.

He hesitated, to gain time. "Hum!" said he, "the sum?"

Jael repeated her pantomime as before.

Still Henry doubted, and, to feel his way, said, half interrogatively