A faint cry died away upon its surface; the last powerful struggle of the dying man agitated the rippling waves for a few seconds; and the spot where he had gone down into his early grave, was undistinguishable from the surrounding water.
'Three years had elapsed, when a gentleman alighted from a private carriage at the door of a London attorney, then well known as a man of no great nicety in his professional dealings, and requested a private interview on business of importance.

Although evidently not past the prime of life, his face was pale, haggard, and dejected; and it did not require the acute perception of the man of business, to discern at a glance, that disease or suffering had done more to work a change in his appearance, than the mere hand of time could have accomplished in twice the period of his whole life.
'"I wish you to undertake some legal business for me," said the stranger.
'The attorney bowed obsequiously, and glanced at a large packet which the gentleman carried in his hand.

His visitor observed the look, and proceeded.
'"It is no common business," said he; "nor have these papers reached my hands without long trouble and great expense." 'The attorney cast a still more anxious look at the packet; and his visitor, untying the string that bound it, disclosed a quantity of promissory notes, with copies of deeds, and other documents.
'"Upon these papers," said the client, "the man whose name they bear, has raised, as you will see, large sums of money, for years past.

There was a tacit understanding between him and the men into whose hands they originally went--and from whom I have by degrees purchased the whole, for treble and quadruple their nominal value--that these loans should be from time to time renewed, until a given period had elapsed.

Such an understanding is nowhere expressed.