and the
marriage, besides being an attractive one, would settle many business
difficulties. He had been a fortunate man, but, like many more fortunate
men, was not blind to the possibilities of a change of luck. The death
of his partner in a successful business had at first seemed to betoken
that change, but his successful, though hasty, courtship of the
inexperienced widow had restored his chances without greatly shocking
the decorum of a pioneer community. Nevertheless, he was not a contented
man, and hardly a determined--although an energetic one.

A walk of a few moments brought him to the levee of the river,--a
favored district, where his counting-house, with many others, was
conveniently situated. In these early days only a few of these buildings
could be said to be permanent,--fire and flood perpetually threatened
them. They were merely temporary structures of wood, or in the case
of Mr. Farendell's office, a shell of corrugated iron, sheathing
a one-storied wooden frame, more or less elaborate in its interior
decorations. By the time he had reached it, the distant fire had
increased. On his way he had met and recognized many of his business
acquaintances hurrying thither,--some to save their own property, or
to assist the imperfectly equipped volunteer fire department in their
unselfish labors. It was probably Mr. Farendell's peculiar preoccupation
on that particular night which had prevented his joining in their
brotherly zeal.

He unlocked the iron door, and lit the hanging lamp that was used in
all-night sittings on steamer days. It revealed a smartly furnished
office, with a high desk for his clerks, and a smaller one for himself
in one corner. In the centre of the wall stood a large safe. This he
also unlocked and took out a few important books, as well as a small
drawer containing gold coin and dust to the amount of about five hundred
dollars, the large balance having been deposited in bank on the previous
day. The act was only precautionary, as he did not exhibit any haste in
removing them to a place of safety, and remained meditatively absorbed
in looking over a packet of papers taken from the same drawer. The
closely shuttered building, almost hermetically sealed against light,
and perhaps sound, prevented his observing the steadily increasing light
of the conflagration, or hearing the nearer tumult of the firemen, and
the invasion of his quiet district by other equally solicitous tenants.
The papers