Sally shook hands with the placid lodestar of her brother's affections. Miss Winch, on closer inspection, proved to have deep grey eyes and freckles. Sally's liking for her increased. “Thank you for saving Fillmore from the wolves,” she said. “They would have torn him in pieces but for you.” “Oh, I don't know,” said Miss Winch. “It was noble.” “Oh, well!” “I think,” said Sally, “I'll go and have a talk with Fillmore. He looks as though he wanted consoling.” She made her way to that picturesque ruin. 4 Fillmore had the air of a man who thought it wasn't loaded. A wild, startled expression had settled itself upon his face and he was breathing heavily. “Cheer up!” said Sally. Fillmore jumped like a stricken jelly. “Tell me all,” said Sally, sitting down beside him. “I leave you a gentleman of large and independent means, and I come back and find you one of the wage-slaves again. How did it all happen?” “Sally,” said Fillmore, “I will be frank with you. Can you lend me ten dollars?” “I don't see how you make that out an answer to my question, but here you are.” “Thanks.” Fillmore pocketed the bill. “I'll let you have it back next week. I want to take Miss Winch out to lunch.” “If that's what you want it for, don't look on it as a loan, take it as a gift with my blessing thrown in.” She looked over her shoulder at Miss Winch, who, the cares of rehearsal being temporarily suspended, was practising golf-shots with an umbrella at the other side of the stage. “However did you have the sense to fall in love with her, Fill?” “Do you like her?” asked Fillmore, brightening. “I love her.” “I knew you would. She's just the right girl for me, isn't she?” “She certainly is.” “So sympathetic.” “Yes.” “So kind.” “Yes.” “And she's got brains enough for two, which is the exact quantity the girl who marries you will need.” Fillmore drew himself up with as much hauteur as a stout man sitting in a low chair can achieve. “Some day I will make you believe in me, Sally.” “Less of the Merchant Prince, my lad,” said Sally, firmly. “You just confine yourself to explaining how you got this way, instead of taking up my valuable time telling me what you mean to do in the future. You've lost all your money?” “I have suffered certain reverses,” said Fillmore, with dignity, “which have left me temporarily... Yes, every bean,” he concluded simply. “How?” “Well...” Fillmore hesitated. “I've had bad luck, you know. First I bought Consolidated Rails for the rise, and they fell. So that went wrong.” “Yes?” “And then I bought Russian Roubles for the fall, and they rose. So that went wrong.” “Good gracious! Why, I've heard all this before.” “Who told you?” “No, I remember now. It's just that you remind me of a man I met at Roville. He was telling me the story of his life, and how he had made a hash of everything. Well, that took all you had, I suppose?” “Not quite. I had a few thousand left, and I went into a deal that really did look cast-iron.”