Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-05-27
CHAPTER II.

O ye on them terms"
 CHAPTER IL
 Col Henry Gregory was the third of his name. His grandfather was a Vir- ginia colonel in the revolutionary war who had emigrated after the war to | lower middle Georgia and bought an | estate on which he had lived many years, dying at a good old age and leav- ing his large possessions to his only son, the second Henry.
 Henry Gregory, the second, served in the Creek war under Jackson, but with that brief exception his whole life was passed on his plantation, looking after his crops, managing his negroes and dispensing a liberal hospitality. He had two children, son and a daughter, the daughter dying in her teens; the son, Henry the third, was appointed cadet at West Point, graduated fairly well, served two years on the frontier, and then, while at home on furlough, becoming captivated by pretty Martha Rollins, promptly resigned, married and settled down. This third Henry was strong, handsome man, very gen. erous and liberal, the soul of honor, in- clined to be nasty in temper and totally lacking in those business qualities which had enabled his grandfather and father to accumulate the broad acres and the two hundred slaves he had in- herited. He was an ease-loving man, vho was happiest when his spacious :..ansion was well filled with his friends, very proud in his way and with strong prejudices, altogether type of the very best planters of the old regime.
 This third Henry had also two chil- dren, son and daughter. Henry, the fourth, as he was commonly called, was at the time our story opens student at the Virginia military institute, and the daughter Janet has already been men toned.
 About a year before our story opens, the colonel being one day in converse tion with his head man, Uncle Jim, was informed by that worthy that, owing to the deterioration of the lands, and the l great increase in the working force on the place, farming was no longer a paying business. The colonel had him self, in a hay sort of way, had an idea that his financial affairs were not flour ishing, and Uncle Jim seemed so much disturbed over the state of affairs on the plantation that he concluded to go down to Savannah and see his factor.
 He was received by his factor, bland man, with the usual factorial con- science, with much urbanity, because had he not in twenty years made a handsome fortune out of Col. Gregory, and there was not one of his clients more careless about settlements. The colonel plunged at once into business.
 "Bartley, how do stand fnancially?''
 "Well, colonel, do you know that was just thinking day or two since that had better speak to you. am really afraid that your affairs need looking into closely"
 twill you make me up a statement to-day?"
 Now, as a matter of fact, the willy factor had for several days had that identical statement in his desk, and had been studying it daily. with view tc 3 deciding whether the colonel had ar - rived at that point in the process of be 2 ing plucked where ones friends discove that their necessities have become s o great that it is absolutely necessary t. !, have immediate settlements. MT. Bart ley was a shrewd man, but he made . mistake at this point. The colonel' visit and questions led him to believ d that he must have discovered himsel d to be in desperate case and had com e for further advances, so he answered d "Well, now, colonel, to tell you tn truth, am pretty hard pressed just now ? and have already had your statemen made up with view to asking you t a make me a liberal payment"
 This was the first time in his life any Ie body had intimated to Henry Gregor P that they wanted him to pay the1 IS money that was due and it had yer 7, peculiar effect on him. Though not 'f business man he was not fool, and 7, a sort of quick intuition he grasped th D. whole situation in moment. B le turned red, then he turned pale an y seemed about to break out, but by Lo strong effort of the will he controlle
 himself and said, quietly: ''Let me haI " the statement"
 It was handed to him and withol ss further conversation he went to h
 hotel Getting to his room, he opene m up the statement and looked at gre;
 mass of figures which were as Greek he him except as to the conclusion, whel
 appeared a line in red ink: "Balant ,., due Bartley 6 Co.,, s159, ,284.20." IT colonel had never tainted in his If
 but he felt very much like 1t at th
 moment, and he sat down feeling vel
 sick
 Henry Gregory had never before know
 financial worry, but after the iir dlaooi- he had faced ih Hasa saHr