"Hopgood," said he, "your evident anxiety is infectious. What has
happened to make my uncle's detention a matter of such apparent import?
If you do not wish to confide in me, his nephew almost his son, speak to
Mr. Wheelock or to one of the directors, but don't keep anything to
yourself which concerns his welfare or--What are you looking at?"

The man was gazing as if fascinated at the keys in Bertram's hand.

"Nothing sir, nothing. You must not detain me; I have nothing to say. I
will wait ten minutes," he muttered to himself, glancing again at the
clock. Suddenly he saw the various directors come filing out of the
inner room, and darted for the second time from Bertram's detaining
hand.

"I hope nothing has happened to Mr. Sylvester," exclaimed one gentleman
to another as they filed by.

"If he were given to a loose ends' sort of business it would be another
thing."

"He looked exceedingly well at the reception last night," exclaimed
another; "but in these days--"

Suddenly there was a hush. A telegraph boy had just entered the door and
was asking for Mr. Bertram Sylvester.

"Here I am," said Bertram, hastily taking the envelope presented him.
Slightly turning his back, he opened it. Instantly his face grew white
as chalk.

"Gentlemen," said he, "you will have to excuse my uncle to-day; a great
misfortune has occurred to him." Then with a slow and horror-stricken
movement, he looked about him and exclaimed, "_Mrs. Sylvester is dead_."

A confused murmur at once arose, followed by a hurried rush; but of all
the faces that flocked out of the bank, none wore such a look of blank
and helpless astonishment as that of Hopgood the janitor, as with
bulging eyes and nervously working hands, he slowly wended his way to
the foot of the stairs and there sat down gazing into vacancy.

XX.

THE DREGS IN THE CUP.

"O eloquent, just and mightie death! whom none could advise,
thou hast persuaded; what none hath dared, thou hast done; and
whom all the world hath flattered, thou only hast cast out of
the world and despised: thou hast drawn together all the farre
stretched greatnesses; all the pride, crueltie and ambition of
man and covered it all over with these two narrow words, _Hic
jacet_."

--SIR WALTER RALEIGH.

Bertram's hurried ring at his uncle's door was answered by Samuel the
butler.

"What is this I hear?" cried the young man, entering with considerable
ag