"I pity the devil when that day comes," young Sneed said once when some one had made the usual remark about Druce. This echoed the general feeling prevalent in Wall Street regarding the encounter that was admitted by all to be inevitable.
The old man stopped in the middle of the room when he noticed that his daughter-in-law was crying.
"Dear, dear!" he said; "what is the matter? Has Edward been saying anything cross to you?"
"No, papa," answered the girl. "Nobody could be kinder to me than Ed. is. There is nothing really the matter." Then, to put the truth of her statement beyond all question, she began to cry afresh.
The old man sat down beside her, taking one hand in his own. "Money?" he asked in an eager whisper that seemed to say he saw a solution of the difficulty if it were financial.
"Oh dear no. I have all the money, and more, that anyone can wish."
The old man's countenance fell. If money would not remedy the state of things, then he was out of his depth.
"Won't you tell me the trouble? Perhaps I can suggest——"
"It's nothing you can help in, papa. It is nothing much, any way. The
Misses Sneed won't call on me, that's all."
The old man knit his brows and thoughtfully scratched his chin.