III
The young man closed the door to the private writing-room of the club, and coming back to the table drew a chair up beside his companion and sat down.
“Rufus,” he said, “how did you get in so deep?”
“Well,” responded the grazier, looking down at the floor. “I am an ass, Jerry, just a natural ass. I was all right, doing well and living like a lord, until I endorsed for that lumber company. When it grew shaky, I tried to save myself by borrowing money and holding it up until the panic was over, but I couldn't do it, and when the thing failed I had the notes to meet. I didn't want to be sued, so I borrowed the money. It was a big sum, almost as big as I was worth, but I thought that the men from whom I borrowed the money
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