At six o'clock on this evening he and Mr. Moss were together in Aaron's house, by appointment. Aaron had resolved to reveal his secret to his faithful friend, and he had set apart this evening as a fitting time for the disclosure. On the following day Rachel and Rose were to return to London, as Rachel did not wish to remain any longer in Bournemouth, and Mr. Moss was to return to Portsmouth.
Mr. Moss' face was flushed with excitement as he entered the room with an evening paper in his hand.
"Have you heard the rumor, Cohen?" he asked excitedly.
"What rumor?" inquired Aaron, rising to meet his friend.
"About your bank, the Equitable Alliance?"
"No, I have heard nothing. I have not been out of the house since the morning."
"It came on me like a thunderclap, but it cannot be true."
"What cannot be true, Mr. Moss?" Aaron spoke quite calmly.
"Well, there's nothing definite, but you know there has been something like a panic in the City."
"I know, but it cannot affect me. I have no investments now, with the solitary exception of my bank shares. All my affairs are settled, and the money in the bank until I decide how to invest it."
Mr. Moss groaned. "I wish you had it safely invested in consols. Is all your money there?"
"Every shilling. The only investments I have not realized are the shares I hold in the bank."
"That makes it all the worse. The shareholders are liable to the depositors."
The flush had died out of Mr. Moss' face, which was now white with apprehension. "They're calling it out in the streets--but here's the paper."
He pointed to a paragraph, which stated that one of the largest banks in the City had closed its doors half an hour before its time, and that the panic had in consequence reached an alarming height.
"No, Cohen, no; but I passed through the City on my way here, and the name of the bank was on everyone's lips. If the bank stops payment to-morrow how will you stand?"
"If it stops payment for sufficient cause," said Aaron in a steady voice, "I shall be a ruined man!"
"Good Heavens! and you can speak of it so calmly!"
"Why not? To work myself into a frenzy will not help me. There are worse misfortunes."
"I cannot imagine them, Cohen. Ruined? Absolutely ruined?"
"Absolutely ruined," said Aaron, with a smile.
