"
As the closing scene grew nearer, he thought more and more of his gentle
low-born wife, whose hold upon him in life had been so slender, whose
memory had occupied until now so insignificant a place in his mind. His
daughter watched with him unceasingly in the last two days and nights.
His mind wandered. On the day of his death he mistook Diana for that
long-lost companion.
"I have not been a kind husband, Mary, my dear," he faltered; "but
the world has been hard upon me--debts--difficulties--crack
regiment--expensive mess--set of gamblers--no pity on a young man without
fortune--force of example--tied a millstone round my wretched neck before
I was twenty-one years of age."
Later, when the doctor had felt his pulse for the last time, he cried out
suddenly, "I have made a statement of my affairs, the liabilities are
numerous--the assets nil; but I rely on the clemency of this court."
These were his last words. He sank into a kind of stupor betwixt sleeping
and waking, and in this he died.
CHAPTER VII.
BETTER THAN GOLD.
The little fleet of paper boats which Mr. Sheldon had pioneered so
skilfully over the commercial seas came to grief very soon after the
disappearance of the admiral. A bill drawn upon the Honduras Mahogany
Company, Limited, was the first to reach maturity. The bill was referred
to the drawer--the drawer was not to be found.
Pages:
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549