He lost the bulk of his winnings in the stock market and--well, to be quite frank, Captain Hall has been a broken man, mentally as well as physically, since his wife's death and his own serious illness.

You, yourselves, must have noticed the change in his habits.

From being an active man, a man of affairs, he became almost a hermit.

He saw but few people, dropped the society of all his old friends, and lived alone--alone except for his various housekeepers and Mary-'Gusta--the little girl, I mean.

You must have noticed the change in his relations with you." Mr.Hamilton sighed.