Penhallow returned impatiently that he had no time, and that the slavery question were better left to the decision of "Chief Justice Time." It was unlike the Squire, and Rivers perplexed and more or less ignorant concerning his friend's affairs left him, in wonder that what was so angrily disturbing the Northern States should quite fail to interest Penhallow.
Meanwhile there were pleasant letters from Leila.

She thought it hard to be denied correspondence with John, and wrote of the satisfaction felt by her Uncle Henry and his friends in regard to the Dred Scott decision.

She had been wise enough to take her Uncle Charles's advice and to hold her Republican tongue, as he with a minority in Baltimore was wisely doing.
The money crisis came with full force while the affairs of Kansas were troubling both North and South.

In August there was widespread ruin.
Banks failed, money was held hard, contracts were broken and to avoid a worse calamity the Penhallow mills discharged half of the men.

Meanwhile under Governor Walker's just and firm rule, for a brief season 'Bleeding Kansas' was no longer heard of.