"No, I don't want to give a mortgage, but I have a certificate for two hundred dollars' worth of stock in the Central Valley Railroad;" taking a lot of papers from his pocket book.
"Let me see it."
"It is among some of these papers," Simmons replied, sorting them in his lap. "Ah, here it is."
"Yes, this will do," said the doctor, after examining it closely. "Nellie, hand me my note book," he added, turning to his daughter.
She quickly placed the book in her father's hand, and he filled out a note for Mr. Simmons to sign. When this had been done the money was paid over, and Jacob left the house, feeling quite elated at his success in raising the loan so easily.
Little did he think of the position in which he had placed himself through his careless handling of his papers, and of the trouble that would follow, not only to himself, but to others whom he had promised to shield.
Soon after he had gone, and the doctor had passed into another room, Nellie raised her eyes from the book she was reading and noticed a small piece of paper upon the floor near the chair where Mr. Simmons had sat.
She picked it up, and glancing at it hastily, saw it contained Fred Worthington's name.
She could not refrain from reading it through, and as she read she shuddered with fear at the thought of what might have been.
She hastened to her father and mother with the paper for them to read.