, &c., &c., would be disposed
of by auction on the following day.
Mr. Sheldon's victim went into the house, where he found some men
preparing for the forthcoming sale.
"What is the meaning of all this?" he asked, aghast.
"A bill of sale, sir. Messrs. Napthali and Zabulon."
This was enough. The holder of the bill went back to the City. Another
bill came due on the following day, and before the members of the Stock
Exchange took their luncheon, it was known that Philip Sheldon's credit
was among the things of the past.
"I always thought he was out of his depth," said one set of talkers.
"He was the last man I should have expected to see come to grief," said
another set of talkers.
On settling-day came the awful proclamation--Philip Sheldon had
absconded, and would not meet his differences.
On the same day came a terrible revelation to Mr. George Sheldon, of
Gray's Inn, solicitor, genealogist, and pedigree hunter. The first
official step in the advancement of Gustave Lenoble's claim against the
Crown was taken by Messrs. Dashwood and Vernon, the solicitors, of
Whitehall; and George Sheldon discovered that between Charlotte
Hawkehurst and the Haygarth estate there stood a prior claimant, whereby
all his toil, trouble, costs out of pocket, and wear and tear of body and
mind, had been wasted.
"It is enough to make a man go and cut his throat," cried George, in his
first savage sense of utter disappointment.
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