"I've been unlucky," said Charnock, who began a confused explanation.

He had heard of a building lot on the outskirts of Winnipeg, to which he
had been told a new street line would run. He had paid for a time
option on the site, and now it appeared that the trolley scheme had been
abandoned. Then somebody had given him a hint about a deal in grain that
the speculators could not put over. It looked a safe snap and he had
sold down, but the market had gone up and his margin was exhausted.
When he stopped, Sadie's eyes flashed scornfully, but she controlled her
anger.

"You're a fool, Bob; you never learn," she said wearily. "Anyhow, you
have got to cut out this kind of thing; the business won't stand for it
long. Well, as you can't be trusted with dollars, I'll have to put you
on an allowance. I hate to be mean, but if you waste what I give you,
you'll get no more."

Charnock's face got red. "This is rather a nasty knock. Not that I want
your money, but the thing's humiliating."

"Do you think it isn't humiliating to me?"

"Perhaps it is," said Charnock, with a half-ashamed look. "I admit I
have been something of an ass, but you are mean, in a sense. What are
you going to do with your money, if you don't intend to spend it?"

"Use if for making more; anyhow, until I get enough."

"When will you have enough?"

"When I can sell out the business and live where I want; give you the
friends you ought to have instead of low-down gamblers and whisky-tanks.
If you'd take hold and work, Bob, we'd be rich in a few years. The boys
like you, you could do all the trade, and the boom that's beginning
will make this settlement a big place. But I guess there's no use in
talking--and I'm ill and tired."

Sadie's pose got slack and she leaned her arms on the table with her
face in her hands. Charnock, feeling penitent, tried to comfort her.

"You're a very good sort, Sadie, and mean well; I'll go steady and try
not to bother you again. But we won't say any more about it now. Are
those new letters? The mail hadn't come when I left."

She gave him two envelopes, and after reading part of the first letter
he started and the paper rustled in his hand.

"What's the matter?" she asked. "Have you lost some money I don't know
about?"

"I haven't," Charnock answered with a hoarse laugh. "The letter's from
some English friends. You head that Festing had gone back to the Old
Country. Well, he's going to be married soon and will br