For my own part, here I stand, come what may. If it's ruin, ruin let
it be. I'll fight to the last. A man owes me ten thousand pounds.
When I recover it, and I may any day--I shall put every penny into
the business."

"Ten thousand pounds!" exclaimed Warburton in astonishment. "A trade
debt, do you mean?"

"No, no. A friend of mine, son of a millionaire, who got into
difficulties some time ago, and borrowed of me to clear himself.
Good interest, and principal safe as Consols. In a year at most I
shall have the money back, and every penny shall go into the
business."

Will had his private view of the matter, and not seldom suffered a
good deal of uneasiness as he saw the inevitable doom approach. But
already it was too late to withdraw his share from the concern; that
would have been merely to take advantage of Sherwood's generosity,
and Will was himself not less chivalrous. In Godfrey's phrase, they
continued "to fight the ship," and perhaps would have held out to
the moment of sinking, had not the accession of the Liberals to
power in the spring of this present year caused Sherwood so deep a
disgust that he turned despondent and began to talk of surrender to
hopeless circumstance.

"It's all up with us, Will. This Government spells ruin, and will
count it one of its chief glories if we come to grief. But, by
Heaven, they shan't have that joy. We'll square up, quietly,
comfortably, with dignity. We'll come out of this fight with arms
and baggage. It's still possible, you know. We'll sell the St. Kitts