"Leave my house, seh. You have ruined this family, and you come to gloat on
your handiwork. Take a good look, and then go, Mr. Yesler. You see my wife
in cotton rags doing her own work. Is it enough, seh?"
The slim little woman stepped across the room and took her place beside her
husband. Her eyes flashed fire at the man she held responsible for the fall
of her husband. Yesler's generous heart applauded the loyalty which was
proof against both disgrace and poverty. For in the past month both of
these had fallen heavily upon her. Tom Pelton had always lived well, and
during the past few years he had speculated in ventures far beyond his
means. Losses had pursued him, and he had looked to the senatorship to
recoup himself and to stand off the creditors pressing hard for payment.
Instead he had been exposed, disgraced, and finally disbarred for attempted
bribery. Like a horde of hungry rats his creditors had pounced upon the
discredited man and wrested from him the remnants of his mortgaged
property. He had been forced to move into a mere cottage and was a man
without a future.
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