the two brothers. Tom, in terrible distress, admitted to Bill that he
had 'just borrowed' the money to invest in stocks--which is a way
people speak of one kind of gambling--but that the investment had
failed, and he had lost it.

"You do not know, Partner, what stocks are, but I'll tell you some other
time.

"When this happened Tom had a little baby boy at home, about two months
old. Bill loved his brother, and he loved his brother's baby very much.

"'Tom,' said Bill, 'I've always stood by you since we were little boys
and played in the garden together, and I'm going to stand by you now. If
the loss is laid to you it will ruin not only your life but the lives of
your wife and your baby. I'll say that I took the money and you must not
say I did not.'

"'No,' said Tom, 'I can't let you do that! It's too much! It's too big a
sacrifice!'

"'Yes, you will,' said Bill. 'It will likely ruin my life, I know, but
I'm only one. If it's laid on you, three lives will be ruined. Just
promise me you'll live straight after this, and never gamble again.'

"Tom promised, and Bill was sure he meant it, and when their father, who
had been sent for by the examiner, arrived at the bank, Bill, as agreed,
told his father he had taken the money.

"Of course there was a terrible scene. Bill was not arrested for his
father did not wish the family disgraced, but he was driven from home,