It was impossible to give young George a profession, so the uncle was persuaded to use his influence—ungraciously—with the Bulk and Bullion, Limited, to secure his nephew a junior appointment.
As the balance of Tobias Chard was great, and his herd and flocks numerous, this was a mere matter of an interview with the directors.
Next week Chard, junior, received a note from the Board to say that his application for service had been favourably considered.
He entered upon his duties at the copying press with a strong determination to work himself up to the position of city manager.
His chances were not too remote, inasmuch as that he had Uncle Tobias’s big account behind him.
Nothing in this world will help an ambitious young man along in a bank like the influence of a solid banking account.
But three consecutive droughts struck Uncle Tobias, and he mortgaged.
That was the beginning of a rapid end. The Lord sent him a rot among his sheep. The devil followed with a law suit. The homestead was burnt out. Misfortune followed misfortune, and Tobias, being no Job, lost patience, and died of a sudden stroke of paralysis.
Everything remained in the hands of the bank. The stoop-shouldered brother in the Lands Office got nothing. The patient little, white haired old-young woman, for whom George would have laid down his life at any moment, got nothing. None of the five girls, nor George, received a shilling.
And the property turned out to be one of the worst speculations in which the bank had put money.