Mortomley's Estate, Vol. III (of 3)

rts and horses, Black Bess included, who had for months been so badly groomed that the auctioneer entered her

mount of juice had been lost-through "no fault of his own,"-and he consequ

ame to him, and when it did he summo

ed to-though three, at all events, of the committee intended Mortomley never should have his discharge; and accordingly the same evening Mr. Swanland, who really could not dictate to a short

te as regards the inability to make personal contracts as a bankrupt; considering Dolly had not a halfpenny left of her fortune, and that friends possessed of great wealth are not in the habit of

rey silk skirt, in her black velvet puffings, in her great plaits of hair, in her atom of a bonnet, in light gloves, in the

be at home laid up with bronchitis, so Dolly saw instead Mr. Asheri

and Mr. Asherill, spite of his hypocritical

re. He tried platitudes, but Dolly ridiculed both th

out of the office, leaving a general impression of silk, velvet, flowers,

had she failed to array herself in her most gorgeous ap

re possessed of money or knew of those who would advance it, and he felt, therefo

e him his full faculties," summed up Mr. Asherill, "but they have nothing else; on

, no! What

has

e! W

me. He has left Engl

For

know more about Ford

who had for years and years been cheating, not more honest, perhaps, but slower English folks, as only foreigners can, had performed as neat a dance upon horseshoes as that oth

inwort

ast Wharf made believe to be so pleased with everything, Mr. Forde found, as the weeks and months

y further, they were inclined to narrow the limits of their operations. They thought it was high time to put several transactions of the Company upon a more business footin

d about the same period Mr. Agnew casually observed that he thought the various mining speculations in

c in limited companies, to confine themselves to a different, if apparently less remunerative, class of business. Of these words of wisdom Mr. Forde spoke scoffingly to Mr. Kleinwort, but they made him uneasy nevertheless; and he proposed to Kleinwort that he and Werner and the German should take Mortomley's works, the

r anything," finished the manag

; but still we will not take the colour-works yet. I have one plan, but the pear is not ripe quite. When it

Mr. Kleinwort's cleverness, his directors were b

Mr. Forde, and then, after his tormentors left him free, he sent round to Mr. Kleinwort, saying, "You must let me have that foreign bill without de

s of the firm, had Mr. Agnew not chanced to take it in his hand. After looking at it for a moment, his eye fell on the date of t

st Mr. Kleinwort to atte

or a moment, and now reappeared, was asked to send to Mr. Kleinwort and

" wrote the manager in pencil. "For God's sake t

e entered the board-room wiping his fore

at the faces turned to his. "Yes, about this bill," suggested

have not returned; he will not now. My good friend and correspondent turned up last night at mine house from Denma

"That explains the matter," adding, "thank you, Mr. Kleinw

emently, and he passed out of the board-room and left the wharf

out half-a-tumbler of neat brandy, and swallowed it at a draught. "There has been too muc

called to see him. The next morning he was too ill to come to business, and Mr. Forde, who felt anxious naturally concerning th

all been too much for me. A few days' quiet, and the sea, and the shells, and the bright ships sailing by, and I come back better than well. I g

wn and fail to remind him by means of every night's post about the trouble and anxiety he had left behind him. To these communications the manager

you then over. Till then torment not me w

found himself unable to leave London, and was compe

nication, but at the end of that time wended his way home, thinking that most probably Mr

while to send a message till his return;" and with these comforting reflections, and the still more comfortin

office so early that the head clerk was just tur

come yet?" as

r. I should scarcely thi

office, and taking the letters out of the clerk's unres

had examined the correspondence once more, and felt in th

," said Mr. Kle

Hastings, but elicited no reply. By the evening's post he wrote requesting that a telegram might be sent to

at that gentleman's office; the head clerk feared he could not be

and Mrs. Kleinwort had left for Lo

losed for the night, therefore the unhappy manager, dreading he knew not what, fearing some evil

s, the lower shutters were closed, there was straw littering about the garden. His worst enemy might have pitied him as he

deserted house with echoes that simulated the sound of hurrying feet-knocking till the neighbo

, sir," shouted an irascible g

. The house is empty, sir. The family left a week ago,

a weak husky voice, which sounded to his

ort has got an appointment th

leinwort had thrown him over, that he had eight

ho had helped him to hoodwink those who might be interested conce

lise; namely, that between him and ruin there s