The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-05-27

worst comes 10 the worst you are
only where ltarted But we are
far from being absolutely ruined as
yet"
ITO think Of IT." Ezra cried,
fiinging himself upon the Office sofa,
and burying bis face In his hands.
ITO think of all l have said of our
money and our resources! What
will Clutterbuck and the fellows at
the club say7 How can 1 alter the
ways of life that l have learneu?"
Then suddenly clenching his hands,
and turning upon his father he broke
out, I'VE must have 1t back, father;
we must, by fair or foul. You must
do 1t, for 1t was you who lost It,
What can we do? How long have we
to do 1t in? Is this known il the
city? Oh, | shall be ashamed to show
my face on Change. So he rambled
on half-maddened by the pictures OF
the future which rose up in his mind.
BE calm, Ezra. be calm!" his
father said imploringly. I'VE have
many chances yet If we only make
the best of them There Is no use
lamenting the past. l freely confess
that | was wrong in using this money
without your knowledge, but l did it
from the best of motives. We must
put our heads together now to re-
trieve our losses, and there are many
ways In which that may be done. l
want your clear common sense to help
me in the matter"
"Plty you didn't apply to that be-
FORE" Ezra said sulkily.
"I have suffered for not doing So"
the old man answered meekly. "In
considering how to rally under this
grievous aftiiction which has come up
on us, we must remember that our
credit is a great resource, and one
on which we have never drawn. That
gives us a broad margin to help us
while we are carrying out our plans
for the future"
What will our credit be worth
when this matter leaks out?"
"But 1t can't leak out. No one
suspects it for a moment. They
might imagine that we are suffering
from some temporary depression of
trade, but no one could possibly know
the sad truth. For heavens sake
don't you let it out!"
His son broke into an impatient
9th. A flush came into Girdlestone's s
sallow cheeks, and his eyes sparkled
angrily.
BE careful how you speak, Ezra.
There are limits to what | will en-,
dure from you, though l make every
allowance for your feelings at this
sudden catastrophe, for which
acknowledge myself responsible"
| The young man shrugged his should
ers, and drummed his heel against the
| ground impatiently.
Il have more than one plan in my
head" the merchant said, "by which
our affairs may be re-established on
sufficient money to satisfy our pres,
ent creditors, and so tide over this
run of bad luck, the current will Sc
in the other way, and all will &
/ we'll And first of all Lnere is ont
question, my boy, which / would lik,
| to ask you What do you think q
John Harston's daughter"
"She's right enough" the young
man answered brusquely.
"She's a good girl, Ezra thor
| ertr MI II ~
though her money is a small thinl
in my eyes compared to her virtue"
Young Girdlestone sneered. 20
course" he said, impatientiy. well
go on-what about herr"
Just this, Ezra, that there is NJ
girl in the world whom l shouIC
like better to receive as my daughter
in-law. All you rogue, you coulC
come round her; you know yol
could" The old man poked his lonl
bony finger in the direction OF hi
sons ribs with grim playfulness.
"Oh, that's the idea, is it?" re
marked the junior partner, with
very unpleasant smile.
Eyes, that is one way out of ou
difficulties. She has forty Thousand
pounds, which would be more thai
enough to save the firm. At the sam
time you would gain charming
wife"
"Yes, there are good many girl'
about who might make charmin
wives" his son remarked obviously
mo matrimony for me yet awhile.
But it is absolutely necessary,
his father urged
"a very fine necessity" Ezra brok,
in savagely. 81 am to tie mysel
up for life and you are to use al
the money in rectifying your plund
ers. It's very pretty division o
labor is that" h
"The business is yours as we'll a
mine. 1t is your interest to inves
the money In it, for If 1t fails yo1
are as completely ruined as l shoul
be. You think you could win he
II you tried?"
Ezra stroked his dark mustach
complacently, and took momentar
glance at his own bold handsom
features in the mirror above the fire
place. "If we are reduced to such a
expedient | think l can answer fo
the result" he said. "The girls nc
a bad looking one. But you said yo
had several plans. Let us hear som