GREAT FINANCIAL CRASH
FAILURE OF SAMPSON'S BANK, LTD.
For a few seconds Margaret Woodford looked at the words with a puzzled expression wrinkling her brows, then something of the trouble involved dawned upon her mind.
"Sampson's has failed, I see—does—does it mean you have lost some money, dear?" she asked a little hesitatingly.
"All—all," he said huskily, while a shiver shook his frame as though he were attacked with ague.
The girl's face paled.
There was silence in the room for a few moments, and then, rising from her cramped position at his side, she said gently:
"I'm going to ring for some fresh coffee, father; yours is cold."
"I don't want anything; I couldn't eat," he answered.
But, ignoring this remark, she rang and gave her order, and in a few minutes a fresh cup of the fragrant beverage was poured out and brought to him.
"Drink it, just to please me," she said coaxingly, "you are so cold; and presently you will explain it all to me, won't you?"