"I want to see if there is any answer to this letter?" I answered.
He took Murray's epistle from my hand, and on perusing it he became terribly pale and shook like a leaf; when he spoke I could not recognize his voice. His eyes would not meet mine, and were fixed on the desk before him.
"On your honour do you know the contents of this letter?" he asked, hoarsely.
"I do not."
"I believe you," he said. "Now that I have recovered my position I shall have much pleasure in paying your account in full with 5 per cent. interest, on one condition, that you say nothing to my other creditors."
To this I willingly agreed. It takes a man all his time to look after his own affairs.
In exchange for my receipt he handed me a cheque for the proper amount. On rejoining Murray, who was close at hand waiting the result of the experiment, I tried to get an explanation, but did not succeed then.
A few days afterwards, however, when, to the astonishment of everybody, Gibbs sold his business and went to South America, the mystery was cleared up. He had cleverly managed to throw dust in the eyes of his creditors. The bankruptcy had been carefully planned so as to enable him to put an immense sum in his pocket. The various stocks, which he returned as assets, and which he alleged had ruined him, did not cost more than a few pounds. The worthless shares were not purchased from time to time as the various companies were launched, as was imagined, but were bought by weight in one lot through Murray a few months before the bankruptcy occurred, at an average price of 4 s. the lb.