Dr. Dutton was a wealthy man and often loaned money to his neighbors on security. Jacob Simmons had recently built an extension to his house. This cost more money than he expected, as is usually the case, so he found himself cramped for funds. He had not been in the factory long enough to draw any salary, and being forced to raise the money, he now came to Dr. Dutton to try and get it from him. "What security can you give?" asked the doctor. "I can give you my note," replied Mr. Simmons. "With a mortgage?" suggested the doctor. "No, I don't want to give a mortgage, but I have a certificate for two hundred dollars' worth of stock in the Central Valley Railroad;" taking a lot of papers from his pocket book. "Let me see it." "It is among some of these papers," Simmons replied, sorting them in his lap. "Ah, here it is." "Yes, this will do," said the doctor, after examining it closely. "Nellie, hand me my note book," he added, turning to his daughter. She quickly placed the book in her father's hand, and he filled out a note for Mr. Simmons to sign. When this had been done the money was paid over, and Jacob left the house, feeling quite elated at his success in raising the loan so easily. Little did he think of the position in which he had placed himself through his careless handling of his papers, and of the trouble that would follow, not only to himself, but to others whom he had promised to shield. Soon after he had gone, and the doctor had passed into another room, Nellie raised her eyes from the book she was reading and noticed a small piece of paper upon the floor near the chair where Mr. Simmons had sat. She picked it up, and glancing at it hastily, saw it contained Fred Worthington's name. She could not refrain from reading it through, and as she read she shuddered with fear at the thought of what might have been. She hastened to her father and mother with the paper for them to read. "Extraordinary!" exclaimed the doctor, although he now knew something of Matthew De Vere's character. "Where did you get this?" "I found it on the floor near where Mr. Simmons sat," replied Nellie. "He must have accidentally dropped it." "Yes, but isn't it awful?" "It is, indeed; but there seems little doubt of its being genuine, as here are the names signed to it. Is this Matthew's writing?" "Yes, I think so. It looks exactly like it," replied Nellie. "It was a bold act of villainy, and his father should know it," continued the doctor thoughtfully. "I can't think Matthew is so bad as that shows," said Mrs. Dutton. "Do you know the cause of their quarrel, Nellie?" asked her father. She hesitated. The question was especially embarrassing to her. "I think Matthew has some grudge against Fred," she replied, evading a direct answer. "I should think he must have, and for what, I wonder?"