to
serious objections on the score of risk. He wanted an advance of twenty
thousand pounds, secured on a homeward-bound ship and cargo. But the
vessel was not insured; and, at that stormy season, she was already more
than a month overdue. Could grateful colleagues be blamed if they forgot
their obligations when they were asked to offer pecuniary help to a
merchant in this situation? Ernest returned to his office, without money
and without credit.

A man threatened by ruin is in no state of mind to keep an engagement at
a lady's tea-table. Ernest sent a letter of apology to Mrs. Call ender,
alleging extreme pressure of business as the excuse for breaking his
engagement.

"Am I to wait for an answer, sir?" the messenger asked.

"No; you are merely to leave the letter."

IV.

IN an hour's time--to Ernest's astonishment--the messenger returned with
a reply.

"The lady was just going out, sir, when I rang at the door," he
explained, "and she took the letter from me herself. She didn't appear
to know your handwriting, and she asked me who I came from. When I
mentioned your name, I was ordered to wait."

Ernest opened the letter.

"DEAR MR. LISMORE--One of us must speak out, and your letter of apology
forces me to be that one. If you are really so proud and so distrustfull
as you seem to be, I shall offend you. If not, I shall prove myself to
be your friend.

"Your excuse is 'pressure of business.' The truth (as I have good reason
to believe) is 'want of money.' I heard a stranger, at that public
meeting, say that you were seriously embarrassed by some failure in the
City.

"Let me tell you what my own pecuniary position is in two words. I am
the childless widow of a rich man--"

Ernest paused. His anticipated discovery of Mrs. Callender's "charming
daughter" was in his mind for the moment. "That little romance must
return to the world of dreams," he thought--and went on with the letter.

"After what I owe to you, I don't regard it as repaying an obligation--I
consider myself as merely performing a duty when I offer to assist you
by a loan of money.

"Wait a little before you throw my letter into the wastepaper basket.

"Circumstances (which it is impossible for me to mention before we meet)
put it out of my power to help you--unless I attach to my most sincere
offer of service a very unusual and very embarrassing condition. If you
are on the brink of ruin, that misfortune will plead my excuse--and you