“I’llhavetostaynow。“Histonewasdryandlifeless。Ithadareproachinitthatcutthewifedeep-deepasthefountainoftears；
andshewentacrosstheroomandkneltatthebedside，buryingherfaceintheclothesonthefeetofherchildren，andsobbedsilently。
Themansatwithbenthead，lookingintotheglowingcoal，whistlingthroughhisteeth，alookofsullenresignationandenduranceonhisfacethathadneverbeentherebefore。Hisveryattitudewasalienandominous。
Neitherspokeforalongtime。Atlastheroseandbegantakingoffhiscoatandvest。
“Well，Isupposethere’snothingtodobutgotobed。“
Shedidnotstir-shemighthavebeenasleepsofarasanysoundormotionwasconcerned。Hewentofftothebedinthelittleparlor，andshestillkneltthere，herheartfullofanger，bitterness，sorrow。
Thesunnyuneventfulnessofherpastlifemadethisgreatstormthemoreterrifying。Hertrustinherhusbandhadbeenabsolute。A
farmer’sdaughter，thebankclerkhadseemedtohertheequalofanygentlemanintheworld-herworld；andwhensheknewhisdelicacy，hisunfailingkindness，andhisaboundinggoodnature，shehadacceptedhimasthefatherofherchildren，andthiswasthefirstrevelationtoherofhisinherentmoralweakness。
Hermindwentoverthewholegroundagainandagain，inasortofblindingrush。Shewasconvincedofhislackofhonormorebyhistone，hisinflections，thanbyhiswords。Hislackofdeepregret，hisreadinesstoleavehertobearthewholeshockofthediscovery-
thesewereinhisflippanttones；andeverytimeshethoughtofthemthehotbloodsurgedoverher。Atsuchmomentsshehatedhim，andherwhiteteethclenched。
Tothesemoodssucceededothers，whensherememberedhissmile，thedimpleinhischin，histendercareforthesick，hisbuoyancy，hissongstothechildren-Howcouldhesitthere，withthechildrenonhisknees，andplantorunaway，leavingthemdisgraced？
Shewenttobedatlastwiththebabies，andwiththeirsoft，warmlittlebodiestouchinghersidefellasleep，pondering，sufferingasonlyamotherandwifecansufferwhendistrustanddoubtofherhusbandsupplantconfidenceandadoration。
IV
Thechildrenawakenedherbytheirdelightedcooingandkissing。
Itwasagreatevent，thiswakingtofindmammaintheirbed。Itwashardlylight，ofadullgraymorning；andwiththechildrentumblingaboutoverher，feelingthepressureofthewarmlittlehandsandsoftlips，shewentoverthewholesituationagain，andatlastsettleduponheraction。
Sherose，shookdownthecoalinthestoveinthesittingroom，andstartedafireinthekitchen；thenshedressedthechildrenbythecoalburner。Theelderofthem，assoonasdressed，ranintowake“Poppa“whilethemotherwentaboutbreakfast-getting。
Sanfordcameoutofhisbedroomunwontedlygloomy，greetingthechildreninasubduedmaimer。Heshiveredashesatbythefireandstirredthestoveasifhethoughttheroomwascold。Hisfacewaspaleandmoist。
“Breakfastisready，James，“calledMrs。Sanfordinatonewhichshemeanttobehabitual，butwhichhadacadenceofsadnessinit。
Someway，hefoundithardtolookatherashecameout。Shebusiedherselfwithplacingthechildrenatthetable，inordertoconcealherownemotion。
“Idon’tbelieveI’lleatanymeatthismorning，Nellie。Iain’tverywell。“
Sheglancedathimquickly，keenly。“What’sthematter？“
“Id’know。Mystomachiskindofupsetbythisfailureo’mine。I’mingreatshapetogodowntothebankthismorningandfacethemfellows。“
“It’sgottobedone。“
“Iknowit；butthatdon’thelpmeany。“Hetriedtosmile。
Shemused，whilethebabyhammeredonhistinplate。“You’vegottogodown。Ifyoudon’t-Iwill，“saidsheresolutely。“Andyoumustsaythatthatmoneywillbepaidback-everycent。“
“Butthat’smore’nIcando-“
“Itmustbedone。“
“Butunderthelaw-“
“There’snothingcanmakethisthingrightexceptpayingeverycentweowe。Iain’ta-goin’tohaveitsaidthatmychildren-thatI’mlivin’onsomebodyelse。Ifyoudon’tpaythesedebts，Iwill。I’vethoughtitallout。Ifyoudon’tstayandfaceit，andpaythesemen，I
won’townyouasmyhusband。Ilovedandtrustedyou，Jim-I
thoughtyouwashonorable-it’sbeenaterribleblow-butI’vedecideditallinmymind。“
Sheconqueredherlittleweaknessandwentontotheendfirmly。
Herfacelookedpale。Therewasasquarelookaboutthemouthandchin。TheironresolutionandPuritanicstrengthofherfather，oldJohnForeman，hadcometothesurface。Herlookandtonemasteredtheman，forhelovedherdeeply。
Shehadsethimahardtask，andwhenheroseandwentdownthestreethewalkedwithbenthead，quiteunlikehisusualself。
Therewerenotmanymenonthestreet。Itseemedearlierthanitwas，foritwasaraw，coldmorning，promisingsnow。Thesunwascompletelymaskedinaseamlessdust-graycloud。HemetVancewithabrownparcelbeefsteakforbreakfastunderhisarm。
“Hello，Jim!Howareye，soearlyinthemorning？“
“Blessednearusedup。“
“Thatso？What’sthematter？“
“Id’know，“saidJim，listlessly。“Bilious，Iguess。Headache-
stomachbad。“
“Oh!Well，now，youtrythempillsIwastellin’youof。“Arrivedatthebank，helethimselfinandlockedthedoorbehindhim。Hestoodinthemiddleofthefloorafewminutes，thenwentbehindtherailingandsatdown。Hedidn’tbuildafire，thoughitwascoldanddamp，andheshiveredashesatleaningonthedesk。Atlengthhedrewalargesheetofpapertowardhimandwrotesomethingonitinaheavyhand。
HewaswritingonthiswhenLincolnenteredattheback，whistlingboyishly。“Hello，Jim!Ain’tyouupearly？Nofire，eh？“Herattledatthestove。
Sanfordsaidnothing，butfinishedhiswriting。Thenhesaid，quietly，“Youneedn’tbuildafireonmyaccount，Link。“
“Whynot？“
“Well，I’musedup。“
“What’sthematter？“
“I’msick，andthebusinesshasgonetothedevil。“Helookedoutofthewindow。
Linkdroppedthepoker，andcamearoundbehindthecounter，andstaredatSanfordwithfallenmouth。
“Wha’dyousay？“
“Isaidthebusinesshadgonetothedevil。We’rebrokebusted-petered-goneupthespout。“Hetookasortofmorbidpleasureinsayingthesethings。
“What’sbustedus？Have-“
“I’vebeenspeciflatin’incopper。Mypartner’sbustedme。“
Linkcamecloser。Hismouthstiffenedandanominouslookcameintohiseyes。“Youdon’tmeantosayyou’velostmymoney，andMother’s，andUncleAndrew’s，andalltherest？“
Sanfordwasgettingirritated。“-it!What’stheuse？Itellyou，yes!
It’sallgone-verycentofit。“
Linkcaughthimbytheshoulderashesatatthedesk。Sanford’stoneenragedhim。“Youthief!Butyou’llpaymeback，orI’ll-“
“Oh，goahead!Poundasickman，ifit’lldoyouanygood，“saidSanfordwithapeculiarrecklessnessoflifelessmisery。“Payy’rselloutofthesafe。Here’sthecombination。“
Lincolnreleasedhimandbeganturningtheknobofthedoor。Atlastitswungopen，andhesearchedthemoneydrawers。Lessthanfortydollars，alltold。HisvoicewasfullofhelplessrageasheturnedatlastandwalkedupclosetoSanford’sbowedhead。
“I’dliketopoundthelifeouto’you!“
“You’reatlibertytodoso，ifit’llbeanysatisfaction。“Thisdesperatecourageawedtheyoungerman。HegazedatSanfordinamazement。
“Ifyou’llcooldownandwaitalittle，Link，I’lltellyouallaboutit。
I’msickasahorse。IguessI’llgohome。Youcanputthisupinthewindowandgohome，too，ifyouwantto。“
LincolnsawthatSanfordwassick。Hewasshivering，anddropsofsweatwereonhiswhiteforehead。Lincolnstoodasidesilentlyandlethimgoout。
“Betterlockup，Link。Youcan’tdoanythingbystayinghere。“
Lincolntookrefugeinaboyishphrasethatwouldhavemadeanyonebutasickmanlaugh：“Well，thisisa-ofanote!“-
Hetookupthepaper。Itread：
BANKCLOSED
TOMYCREDITORSANDDEPOSITORS
ThroughacombinationofeventsIfindmyselfobligedtotemporarilysuspendpayment。Iaskthedepositorstobepatient，andtheirclaimswillbemet。IthinkIcanpaytwenty-fivecentsonthedollar，ifgivenalittletime。Ishallnotrunaway。Ishallstayrightheretillallmattersarehonorablysettled。
JAMESG。SANFORD
Lincolnhastilypinnedthispapertothewindowsashsothatitcouldbeseenfromwithout，thenpulleddowntheblindsandlockedthedoor。Hisfun-lovingnaturerosesuperiortohisrageforthemoment。“There’llbethedeviltopayinthisburgbeforetwohours。“
Heslippedoutthebackway，takingthekeyswithhim。“I’llgoandtelluncle，andthenwe’llseeifJimcan’tturninthehouseonouraccount，“hethoughtasheharnessedateamtodriveouttoMcPhail’s。
ThefirstmantotrythedoorwasanoldNorwegianinaspottedMackinacjacketandafurcap，withtheinevitablelittleredtippetabouthisneck。Heturnedtheknob，knocked，andatlastsawthewriting，whichhecouldnotread，andwentawaytotellJohnsonthatthebankwasclosed。Johnsonthoughtnothingspecialofthat；
itwasearly，andtheyweren’tveryparticulartoopenontime，anyway。
Thenthebarberacrossthestreettriedtogetintohaveabillchanged。Tryingtopeerinthewindow，hesawthenotice，whichhereadwithagrin。
“Oneo’Link’sjobs，“heexplainedtothefellowsintheshop。“He’stoodarnedlazytoopenontime，soheputsupnoticethatthebankisbusted。“
“Let’sgoandsee。“
“Don’tdoit!He’swatchin’toseeusallrushacrossandlook。Justkeepquiet，andseethesolidcitizensreararound。“
OldOrrinMcIlvainecameoutofthepostofficeandtriedthedoornext，thenstoodforalongtimereadingthenotice，andatlastwalkedthoughtfullyaway。Soonhereturned，tothemerrimentofthefellowsinthebarbershop，withtwoorthreesolidcitizenswhohadbeensmokinganafter-breakfastcigarandplanningadeerhunt。Theystoodbeforethewindowinarowandreadthenotice。
Mcllvainegesticulatedwithhiscigar。
“Gentlemen，there’sapigloosehere。“
“Oneo’Link’sjokes，Ireckon。“
“Butthat’sSanford’swritin’。An’hereitisnineo’clock，andnooneround。Idon’tlikethelooksofit，myself。“
Thecrowdthickened；thefellowscameoutoftheblacksmithshop，whilethejokersinthebarbershopsmotetheirkneesandyelledwithmerriment。
“What’sup？“queriedVance，comingupandrepeatingtheuniversalquestion。
McIlvainepointedattheposterwithhiscigar。
Vancereadthenotice，whilethecrowdwaitedsilently。
“Whatyethinkofit？“askedsomeoneimpatiently。Vancesmokedamoment。“Can’tsay。Where’sJim？“
“That’sit!Whereishe？“
“Bestwaytofindoutistosendaboyuptothehouse。“Hecalledaboyandsenthimscurryingupthestreet。
Thecrowdnowgrewsoberanddiscussedpossibilities。“Ifthat’strue，it’stheworstcrackontheheadIeverhad，“saidMcllvaine。
“Seventeenhundreddollarsismypileinthere。“Hetookaseatonthewindowsill。
“Well，I’mtickledtodeathtothinkIgotmylittlestakeoutbeforeanythinghappened。“
“Whenyouthinkofit-whatsecuritydidheevergive？“Mcllvainecontinued。
“Notacent-notaredcent。“
“No，sir；wesimplybankedonhim。Now，he’sagoodfellow，an’
thismaybeajokeo’Link’s；butthefactis，itmight’a’happened。