"And may I ask how you found it out, signorina?" "The President told me," said that lady. "Did you make him drunk?" "No, not drunk," was her reply, in a very demure voice, and with downcast eyes. We could guess how it had been done, but neither of us cared to pursue the subject. After a pause, I said: "Well, as you both know all about it, it's no good keeping up pretenses. It's very kind of you to come and warn me." "You dear, good Mr. Martin," said the signorina, "our motives are not purely those of friendship." "Why, how does it matter to you?" "Simply this," said she: "the bank and its excellent manager own most of the debt. The colonel and I own the rest. If it is repudiated, the bank loses; yes, but the manager, and the colonel, and the Signorina Nugent are lost!" "I didn't know this," I said, rather bewildered. "Yes," said the colonel, "when the first loan was raised I lent him one hundred thousand dollars. We were thick then, and I did it in return for my rank and my seat in the Chamber. Since then I've bought up some more shares." "You got them cheap, I suppose?" said I. "Yes," he replied, "I averaged them at about seventy-five cents the five-dollar share." "And what do you hold now, nominally?" "Three hundred thousand dollars," said he shortly. "I understand your interest in the matter. But you, signorina?" The signorina appeared a little embarrassed. But at last she broke out: "I don't care if I do tell you. When I agreed to stay here, he [we knew whom she meant] gave me one hundred thousand dollars. And I had fifty thousand, or thereabouts, of my own that I had--" "Saved out of your salary as a prima donna," put in the colonel. "What does it matter?" said she, flushing; "I had it. Well, then, what did he do? He persuaded me to put it all--the whole one hundred and fifty thousand--into his horrid debt. Oh! wasn't it mean, Mr. Martin?" The President had certainly combined business and pleasure in this matter. "Disgraceful!" I remarked. "And if that goes, I am penniless--penniless. And there's poor aunt. What will she do?" "Never mind your aunt," said the colonel, rather rudely. "Well," he went on, "you see we're in the same boat with you, Martin." "Yes; and we shall soon be in the same deep water," said I. "Not at all!" said the colonel. "Not at all!" echoed the signorina. "Why, what on earth are you going to do?" "Financial probity is the backbone of a country," said the colonel. "Are we to stand by and see Aureataland enter on the shameful path of repudiation?" "Never!" cried the signorina, leaping up with sparkling eyes. "Never!" She looked enchanting. But business is business; and I said again: "What are you going to do?"