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however senior he may be to you。
〃Yours faithfully；
〃JEREMIAH PEARSON。〃
〃Great Heavens！〃 groaned the Admiral； 〃he has absconded。〃
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〃And left me both a bankrupt and a thief。〃
〃No； no； Harold；〃 sobbed his mother。 〃All will be right。 What
matter about money！〃
〃Money； mother！ It is my honor。〃
〃The boy is right。 It is his honor； and my honor； for his is mine。
This is a sore trouble； mother； when we thought our life's troubles were all
behind us； but we will bear it as we have borne others。〃 He held out his
stringy hand； and the two old folk sat with bowed grey heads； their fingers
intertwined； strong in each other's love and sympathy。
〃We were too happy；〃 she sighed。
〃But it is God's will； mother。〃
〃Yes； John； it is God's will。〃
〃And yet it is bitter to bear。 I could have lost all； the house； money；
rankI could have borne it。 But at my agemy honorthe honor of an
admiral of the fleet。〃
〃No honor can be lost； John； where no dishonor has been done。 What
have you done？ What has Harold done？ There is no question of
honor。〃
The old man shook his head； but Harold had already called together
his clear practical sense； which for an instant in the presence of this
frightful blow had deserted him。
〃The mater is right； dad；〃 said he。 〃It is bad enough； Heaven knows；
but we must not take too dark a view of it。 After all； this insolent letter is
in itself evidence that I had nothing to do with the schemes of the base
villain who wrote it。〃
〃They may think it prearranged。〃
〃They could not。 My whole life cries out against the thought。 They
could not look me in the face and entertain it。〃
〃No； boy； not if they have eyes in their heads；〃 cried the Admiral；
plucking up courage at the sight of the flashing eyes and brave； defiant
face。 〃We have the letter； and we have your character。 We'll weather it
yet between them。 It's my fault from the beginning for choosing such a
land…shark for your consort。 God help me； I thought I was finding such
an opening for you。〃
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〃Dear dad！ How could you possibly know？ As he says in his letter；
it has given me a lesson。 But he was so much older and so much more
experienced； that it was hard for me to ask to examine his books。 But we
must waste no time。 I must go to the City。〃
〃What will you do？〃
〃What an honest man should do。 I will write to all our clients and
creditors； assemble them； lay the whole matter before them； read them the
letter and put myself absolutely in their hands。〃
〃That's it； boyyard…arm to yard…arm； and have it over。〃
〃I must go at once。〃 He put on his top…coat and his hat。 〃But I have
ten minutes yet before I can catch a train。 There is one little thing
which I must do before I start。〃
He had caught sight through the long glass folding door of the gleam
of a white blouse and a straw hat in the tennis ground。 Clara used often
to meet him there of a morning to say a few words before he hurried away
into the City。 He walked out now with the quick； firm step of a man who
has taken a momentous resolution； but his face was haggard and his lips
pale。
〃Clara；〃 said he； as she came towards him with words of greeting； 〃I
am sorry to bring ill news to you； but things have gone wrong in the City；
andand I think that I ought to release you from your engagement。〃
Clara stared at him with her great questioning dark eyes； and her face
became as pale as his。
〃How can the City affect you and me； Harold？〃
〃It is dishonor。 I cannot ask you to share it。〃
〃Dishonor！ The loss of some miserable gold and silver coins！〃
〃Oh； Clara； if it were only that！ We could be far happier together in a
little cottage in the country than with all the riches of the City。 Poverty
could not cut me to the heart； as I have been cut this morning。 Why； it is
but twenty minutes since I had the letter； Clara； and it seems to me to be
some old； old thing which happened far away in my past life； some horrid
black cloud which shut out all the freshness and the peace from it。〃
〃But what is it； then？ What do you fear worse than poverty？〃
〃To have debts that I cannot meet。 To be hammered upon 'Change
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and declared a bankrupt。 To know that others have a just claim upon me
and to feel that I dare not meet their eyes。 Is not that worse than
poverty？〃
〃Yes； Harold； a thousand fold worse！ But all this may be got over。
Is there nothing more？〃
〃My partner has fled and left me responsible for heavy debts； and in
such a position that I may be required by the law to produce some at least
of this missing money。 It has been confided to him to invest； and he has
embezzled it。 I； as his partner； am liable for it。 I have brought misery
on all whom I lovemy father； my mother。 But you at least shall not be
under the shadow。 You are free； Clara。 There is no tie between us。〃
〃It takes two to make such a tie； Harold；〃 said she； smiling and putting
her hand inside his arm。 〃It takes two to make it； dear； and also two to
break it。 Is that the way they do business in the City； sir； that a man can
always at his own sweet will tear up his engagement？〃
〃You hold me to it； Clara？〃
〃No creditor so remorseless as I； Harold。 Never； never shall you get
from that bond。〃
〃But I am ruined。 My whole life is blasted。〃
〃And so you wish to ruin me； and blast my life also。 No indeed； sir；
you shall not get away so lightly。 But seriously now； Harold； you would
hurt me if it were not so absurd。 Do you think that a woman's love is like
this sunshade which I carry in my hand； a thing only fitted for the sunshine；
and of no use when the winds blow and the clouds gather？〃
〃I would not drag you down； Clara。〃
〃Should I not be dragged down indeed if I left your side at such a time？
It is