The Home of the Wolverene and Beaver. 1 5 



ship in the room below, groaned inwardly as he 

 stuffed his thumbs in his ears, and bent his head 

 yet lower over Aristophanes, in the vain hope of 

 shutting out the mirthful sounds, as he murmured, 

 " Gresham having another breakfast. The noise at 

 his wine last night kept me awake until past mid- 

 night; What a mercy it will be when he leaves ; 

 and yet he 's a good fellow too." 



Had the reading man known how shortly his 

 wish would be accomplished, he had perhaps been 

 less willing to frame it. 



" Surely I hear some one at the oak. Open 

 the door, George, and let us see who it is." 



George Marshall arose, did as his host desired, 

 and a boy entered the room with an envelope in 

 his hand, saying, " A telegraphic message for Mr, 

 Gresham." 



A blank fell upon the faces of the ten or dozen 

 young men seated round the well-furnished break- 

 fast table, at these ominous words ; for at that date 

 a telegraphic communication was ominous ; the 

 wires were not then used for the every-day purposes 

 of the world at large, and only on occasions of im- 

 portance, such as accident, illness, or death, was 

 the " lightning message" employed. Small wonder, 

 then, that the hearts of the guests sank within them, 

 and notwithstanding the well-bred remonstrances 



