CHAPTER XXVI
ON THE ROCKS
Charles Garton was seated in his cosy study smoking his after-dinner cigar. It was unusual for him to be alone at this hour of the evening, as his wife and children were generally with him. But he had been late coming from the office and by the time he had finished his dinner the children were put to bed, as this was the maid's evening out. Mrs. Garton was attending a church "affair" and would not be home until ten, so she had phoned.
Garton was glad to be alone as it afforded him a quiet time for thought. As a rule he tried to leave his business concerns behind him when he left the office. But to-night it was different, and his eyes often turned toward two letters lying open on the little stand by his side. At length, picking up one of them, he read it again, and as he did so his face brightened and he gave a deep sigh of relief. But as he scanned the other his brow knitted in perplexity and, leaning back, he blew great wreaths of smoke into the air.
"Strange," he mused, "how that mine has recovered. I had given up all hope of getting anything from it, and now it is booming. My, won't Kit be surprised! I would feel happy to-night but for this other letter. I wonder what I had better do about it. Things are certainly in a bad shape there. He's on the rocks sure enough, and will go to pieces if we don't come to his assistance, so he says."
Garton's reverie was broken by the clear insistent ring of the door-bell.
"Confound it!" he muttered, as he rose from the chair, and hurried out of the room. "Can't I have a little peace for one night at least?"
But no sooner had he thrown open the door than his tone of anger gave way to one of joy, when he beheld Douglas Stanton standing before him.
"Well, 'pon my word!" he cried, seizing his visitor by the arm and dragging him unceremoniously into the study. "Where in the world have you dropped from? And what duds! Where did you get them? And your face! My! it's some colour; bronzed, unshaven, and——"
"Unwashed," Douglas laughingly interrupted, as he threw himself into an easy chair. "Any more remarks to make, eh? I am afraid your manners haven't improved any more than my personal appearance since last we met."