He has taken a fancy to Kitty, and even if I could not lift the mortgage, there's some possibility that the land would still remain in the family." "I think I'll drive over this afternoon and take a look at the old shanty if this infernal weather lets up." "Yes; but just now, my dear Sylvester, let us attend to business.

I want to show you those investments." "Oh, certainly; trot 'em out," said his brother, plucking up a simulation of interest as he took a seat at the table.
From a drawer of his desk Gabriel brought out a bundle of prospectuses and laid them before Uncle Sylvester.
A languid smile of recognition lit up the latter's face.

"Ah! yes," he said, glancing at them.

"The old lot: 'Carmelita,' 'Santa Maria,' and 'Preciosa!' Just as I imagined--and yet who'd have thought of seeing them HERE! A good deal rouged and powdered, Miss Carmelita, since I first knew you! Considerably bolstered up by miraculous testimony to your powers, my dear Santa Maria, since the day I found you out, to my cost! And you too, Preciosa!--a precious lot of money I dropped on you in the old days!" "You are joking," said Gabriel, with an uneasy smile.

"You don't mean to imply that this stock is old and worthless ?" "There isn't a capital in America or Europe where for the last five years it hasn't been floated with a new character each time.