Langham whistled.
"Do you mean to tell me you are down to that? Why, you told me once you held a hundred!"
"So I did once, but it costs money to be the kind of fool I've been! said North.
"Well, I suppose you are doing the sensible thing in getting out of this. Have you any notion where you are going or what you'll do?"
North shook his head.
"Oh, you'll get into something!" the lawyer encouraged. "When shall you see McBride?"
"This afternoon. Why?"
"I was going to say that I was just there with Atkinson. He and McBride have been in a timber speculation, and Atkinson handed over three thousand dollars in cash to the old man. I suppose he has banked it in some heap of scrap-iron on the premises!" said Langham laughing.
"I think I shall go there now," resolved North. While he was speaking he had moved to the door leading into the hail, and had opened it.
"Hold on, John!" said Langham, detaining him. "Evelyn is home. She came quite unexpectedly to-day; you won't leave town without getting up to the house to see her?"