, intelligent, and true hearted. Probably you
might win her, for she seems to like you. The connection would give you
position, for you would marry into an old and most respectable family.
True, you have conducted yourself shamefully toward Emma Tenant--to say
nothing of Miss Burns. Let that pass. There is still opportunity to
retrace. Attempt to win Miss Innis. If you do win her, what a happy home
will be yours! As for Miss Thorne--Hiram, you _know_ what she is. You
despise her in your heart. Besides, she is almost twenty-nine--you but
twenty-seven. Will her money compensate? O Hiram, stop--stop now, and
think!

This may have been the revery of Hiram Meeker.

* * * * *

At last he rose and prepared to retire. Doubtless he had made a final
and irrevocable decision.

What was it?

CHAPTER XII.

There is good news for the Tenant family! The large commercial house in
London whose failure dragged down Tenant & Co., had a branch at Rio.
This branch had been heavily drawn on, and suspended because the firm
in London stopped. When affairs were investigated, it turned out that
the Rio branch was well aboveboard. The result was that the London house
was enabled to pay a composition of fifteen and sixpence in the pound.
This not only enabled Tenant & Co. to settle with their creditors, but
placed that old and respectable firm in a position to go on with their
business, though in a manner somewhat limited when compared with their
former operations. The whole commercial community rejoiced at this. Tho
house had been so long established, and was conducted with so much
integrity, that to have it go down seemed a blow struck at the fair name
and prosperity of the city. A committee appointed by the creditors had
investigated everything connected with the failure, prior to hearing of
the news from Rio. This committee utterly refused to permit Mr. Tenant
to put his house into the list of assets from which to pay the company's
debts. He insisted, but they were inexorable. This was highly gratifying
to him, but he was not content. Now he could meet all on equal terms.

We must forgive Mrs. Tenant if she felt a very great degree of
exultation at this result. The affair between Hiram Meeker and her
daughter had touched her so deeply (until Emma was away she did not feel
how deeply), that she could not but indulge her triumph that now, when
she encountered him, she was able to pass him with complete
i