Page:William Le Queux - The Temptress.djvu/35

20 my father's death my elder brother, Douglas, with whom I've not been on friendly terms for several years, succeeded to the estate."

The other nodded acquiescence.

"My father undoubtedly meant well," Hugh continued, "for he left me some property yielding nearly five hundred a year. Upon this I lived for five years, but"—

"And what more could you expect?" interrupted his friend. "Surely that's enough for a bachelor to live upon?"

"It would have been, I admit," he replied despondently. "Unfortunately, I have been compelled to dispose of the property."

"Why?"

"To temporarily satisfy my hungry creditors."

"Are they numerous?"

"Numerous! Why, they're so plentiful that, by Jove, I've never troubled to count 'em."

"But how have you become so entangled?"

"The usual method is responsible, old chap—tempting fortune," he replied bitterly. "The fact is, things have been going wrong for a long time past, and I've disposed of all I'm worth in an endeavor to settle up honorably. It's no use, however—I've sunk deeper and deeper into the mire, until the only means by which to extricate myself is to go right away. Dunned on every side, with county court summonses descending in showers, the Hebrew Shylocks who hold me in their accursed clutches seem to be taking a delight in crushing me out of existence."

The artist was mute with astonishment. He had always considered his friend very lucky in having ample means at his command, and had never imagined he was in such straits.