finance, and yet I could hardly drill elementary mathematics into his head."
Unwin suddenly ceased and fell into a mood of depression. At college he had been esteemed brilliant, and Gibbons had been accounted dull. And Gibbons was a multi-millionaire. And Floyd Unwin solicited advertisements for a trade journal and was its associate editor!
Then he thought of Howard Bettington, who had made some success as a painter of seascapes. Bettington was the best of the three. He was better looking, better bred and could have attained eminence in anything he set his mind upon. And he had chosen to adventure into far corners of the earth and seas and every now and then exhibit his unusual canvases to the appreciative few who admired but did not buy.
Tight Money
"Did you close that contract?" he heard his wife ask. The contract had been talked over a great deal. The commission would have removed the steady calling of an intolerant individual who concerned himself with payments of furniture on the instalment plan.
Unwin removed a dead leaf from a plant. He did not want to meet his wife's eye.
"The time was not ripe," he said, a little weakly. "Also they complain that our circulation is not large. I explained it was a quality circulation, but it was no good. Next month, perhaps."
His wife said nothing. To her it was an evidence that God desired her to be yet more strengthened and purified by suffering. To her there often seemed something impious in trying to avert the obvious punishment. But she never grumbled or found fault with her husband. Her affection was strong and sincere.
"Do you think Mr. Gibbons will?" she asked presently.
"Yes," Unwin answered. "Why shouldn't he? It’s a solemn moral obligation, and I'm not sure it isn't a legal one also. Gibbons was always a man of his word. I know he has the name of being hard in his dealings, but this is different."
He paused as he heard footsteps. "But not a word to the children. I don't want to raise their hopes and then have to disappoint them."
It was Mary, eighteen and sweet, and now hopeful. She held in her hand a packet of the literature that Smith College sends out to those who seek to know her charms and terms. Mary was more than anxious to enrol, What money she could save was put by for that purpose. And during the last week her father had been letting fall sly hints that Northampton might not seem so far away as she thought.
"Did you close the contract?" she asked, when she had kissed them.
"Money is tight," said Unwin, again plucking leaves. "I shall try them in a month's time."
Up His Sleeve
He saw Mary droop a little. He knew the disappointment. It nerved him to give her encouragement.
"I've something up my sleeve better than that old contract. On Thursday morning ask me what I mean. It may mean Smith for you and Tech. for Bob."
"It seems too good to be true," the girl said. "Daddy, I'm so tired of being Mr. Radway's stenographer. I'm in a constant atmosphere of fear, and it's bad for me. Every one in the office trembles when he comes in. If it weren't that he pays more than I'm worth I'd leave to-morrow."
When she had gone down to prepare the evening meal Unwin looked at his wife anxiously. "Mary is a very beautiful girl," he said. "I wonder if undesirable men try to force themselves on her. There's an intimacy in business relations that one can't wholly approve of."
