The Argosy — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

> 4 : Lhe Master of Greylands. will but wait. Perhaps, if you called a private meeting and pointed things out, and showed them that it is only time you want, they’d consent to let you have it, Matters would go on then, and there would be no exposure.” ‘Tt is the want of time that will crush me,” said Mr. Peter Castle- Ir aine. “ But if they will allow you time, sir?” | ‘* All will not,” was the significant answer, and Mr. Peter Castlemaine lowered his voice as he spoke it, and looked full at his clerk. “ You know those Armannon bonds?” Whether it was the tone, the look, or the question, certain it was that in that instant an awful dread, an instinct of evil, seized upon the old man. His face tucned white. “Thad to wse those bonds, Hill,” whispered his master. ‘“ To mortgage them, you understand. But, as I am a living man, I believed when I did it that in less than a week they would be redeemed and replaced.” ‘“‘Mortgaged the Armannon bonds!” ejaculated Thomas Hill, unable to take in the fact, and looking the picture of horror. ‘‘ And they are not yet redeemed.” The clerk wrung his hands. ‘‘ My master! my fnend and master ! How could you? Surely it was done in a moment of madness !” “ Of weakness, of wickedness, if you will, Thomas, but not madness. You remember the large payment we had to make last August? It had to be made, you know, or things would have come to a crisis then. I used the bonds to raise the money.” ““But I—I cannot comprehend,” returned the clerk slowly. ‘J thought you’ borrowed that money from Mr. Castlemaine.” ‘““No. Mr. Castlemaine would not lend it me. I don’t know whether he smelt a rat and got afraid for the rest I hold of his. What he said was, that he had not so large a sum at his disposal.” ‘These deeds must be redeemed!” cried the old clerk, rising from his seat in excitement. ‘At all sacrifice they must be got back, sir. If you have to sell up houses and land, they must be returned to their resting-place. You must not longer run this dreadful risk, sir: the fear of it would bring me down in shame and sorrow to my grave.” “Then, what do you suppose it has been doing for me?” rejoined Mr. Peter Castlemaine. ‘ Many a time and oft since, I have said to myself ‘next week shall see those bonds replaced.’ But the ‘next week’ has never come: for I have had to use all available cash to prop up the falling house and keep it from sinking.” ‘You must sell all, sir.” “6 There's nothing left to sell, Thomas,” said his master. ‘“ At least nothing immediately available. It is ¢ime that is wanted... Given that I could put things straight again.” P 8 git ag COMIC ONOO® SS (C(O) mn —_)