TIMOTHY . 
203 
and she was gone from him. For she knew 
what he would say, yet was not quite sure of 
her answer. 
Timothy walked the long way to his 
lodgings. He was not hopeless. At the 
last moment of parting he had looked in her 
eyes. 
As he entered the dingy sitting-room, a 
little surprised that the gas should be burning 
full, a man rose from the easy-chair. The 
man was pale, but Timothy went paler. 
“ George ! ” he cried, hoarsely. Here was 
disaster ; he knew it. 
“ I had to wait to see you. Been here 
since nine o’clock. Clara insisted on my 
coming to-night, though I said it would keep 
till to-morrow.” 
“ What is it ? ” Timothy’s tone was new 
to his youngest brother-in-law. u Nothing 
the matter with Clara, I hope ? ” 
“ No,” said George, sitting down again and 
fumbling with a cigarette. “ Beastly sorry, 
old man, but it’s the bank.” 
“ The bank ! ” 
“ Yes ; they’ve called up that overdraft.” 
u Oh ! It was only about a hundred 
pounds the last time you spoke of it.” 
“ It’s up to the limit now, I’m sorry to say,” 
said George, sullenly. 
“ The limit ! Two thousand ! ” With an 
effort Timothy got command of himself. 
“ Well, of course, Henderson and I guaranteed 
that amount to the bank on your account. 
Only I thought you were clearing it off. I 
don’t want to worry you, George, but I’d like 
to be relieved of that responsibility as soon 
as possible. Make an effort to wipe out your 
overdraft before May, will you ? ” 
“ I wish to Heaven I could,” the younger 
man muttered. 
“ Well, don’t lose your night’s sleep over 
it. Get away home, and I’ll ask Henderson 
to call with me on the manager to-morrow 
and satisfy him that our guarantee is all 
right.” 
“ Henderson,” said George, weakly, “ is 
dead — yesterday — suicide — ruined himself. I 
can’t find another guarantor. And I’m 
practically broke myself.” 
Timothy took the nearest chair. “ Oh, my 
God ! ” he said, very softly. 
“ 1 tell you I’m beastly sorry.” 
Timothy apparently did not hear the 
remark. “ So I’m liable for the whole 
amount — two thousand pounds — two years’ 
income.” 
” I thought you made more. Clara always 
said so,” mumbled George. “ I’m beastly ” 
“ Go home ! ” said Timothv, so quietly, yet 
VqJ. ndvio — 2t» 
so sternly, that his brother-in-law got up and 
departed. 
At four o’clock in the morning Timothy 
went out to post the letter he had written to 
Florence. It was brief. Owing to a sudden 
and severe business trouble he regretted he 
would be unable to bid farewell to her on the 
morrow. He thanked her for the best days 
of his life. He wished her a safe voyage and 
happiness always, and begged leave to remain 
her sincere friend, T. Wells. 
At the pillar-box he stood awl. ie hesitating ; 
then, with a sigh and headshake, let the letter 
go. The brown eyes were not so clear now, 
but perhaps this was due to the fog that was 
descending on London. 
IV. 
He reached the office two hours late. The 
fog had thickened and was greatly hindering 
traffic. It was almost dark in the office. A 
clerk stepped forward to explain that some- 
thing had gone wrong with the light, but that 
the electrician would have it going again 
almost immediately. Timothy merely nodded 
and passed on to his room, though the clerk 
sought to detain him. 
Timothy closed the door behind him, 
thankful for the darkness as well as the soli- 
tude. He took a pace forward, stopped short, 
and threw up his arms. 
“ Oh, you fool ! ” he said, in a whisper ; 
“ you utter fool ! ” 
“ Mr. Wells,” said a voice, in soft alarm. 
His arms fell ; he gasped. 
Dimly he saw her rising from the chair by 
the hearth. 
“ Florence — Miss Gale — your train — your 
boat ! ” he stammered. 
“ I have lost my train,” she returned, 
quietly. “ Aren’t we going to shake hands ? 
I am sorry I startled you. Didn’t your 
clerk ” 
He was beside her, holding her hand as 
though he would never let it go. 
“ I had your letter this morning,” she 
went on, withdrawing it gently. “ I fear you 
have had a great misfortune.” 
He went back a pace from her. 
“ Yes,” he said, bitterly, “ but I have only 
myself to blame, Miss Gale.” 
“ That makes it the harder to bear, doesn’t 
it ? ” Never had her voice sounded so kind 
in his ears. “ It was very sudden, I think 
you said in your note ? ” 
“ An hour after I left you last night.” 
“ So — so it was not of that you — you 
wanted to tell me last night ? ” 
