That evening Henry Ellis spent at home.  Not much conversation passed between him and his wife; for the mind of each was too heavily burdened with thoughts of its own to leave room for an interchange of ideas.  But the manner of Cara towards her husband was subdued, and even tender; and he felt it as the grateful earth feels the strength-giving impression of the gentle rain.  Leaving the past, to the future both their thoughts turned; and both strengthened themselves in good resolutions.

Cara resolved to be a better wife—­to be more considerate and more yielding towards her husband.  And Ellis resolved to abandon, at every sacrifice the vicious habits he had indulged,—­habits which, within a day or two, had led him aside from the path of safety, and conducted him to the brink of a precipice, from which he now started back with a thrilling sense of fear.

More than twenty times during that evening was Cara on the eve of telling her husband about the carpet.  But she shrank from the confession.

“In the morning I will do it,” was her final conclusion; thus putting off the evil hour.  But morning found her no better prepared for the task.

CHAPTER XVI.

All through the night, the mind of Ellis was haunted with troubled dreams; but, on waking, he felt calm, and good purposes were in his heart.  The manner of Cara still being tender and considerate, he went forth feeling the strength of her love, and resolving, for her sake, and the sake of his children, to free himself from his present entanglements, cost what it would.

Seven hundred dollars was the sum he had lost at the gaming-table and for over five hundred of this, Carlton held his obligations, payable on demand.  Besides this, he owed on account of temporary loans, from business friends, about an equal amount.  Moreover, on that day, a note of three hundred dollars fell due; and in the coming ten days, about a thousand dollars had to be paid into bank.  The aggregate of all these obligations, to be met within two weeks, was two thousand three hundred dollars.

As Ellis looked at this formidable amount, and calculated his resources, he felt, for a time, utterly discouraged.  But a reaction from this state of feeling came, and he set his mind vigorously to work in devising means for the pressing emergency.

“There is one thing certain,” said he to himself, as he pondered the matter.  “Carlton will have to wait.  So there are five hundred dollars pushed ahead.  I received no value in the case, and shall not hurry myself to make payment.”

Even while Ellis thus spoke, a man called and presented the due-bills he had given to the gambler.

“I can’t take these up now,” was the prompt reply.

“My directions are to collect them forthwith,” said the man.

“Mr. Carlton will have to wait my convenience.”  Ellis spoke with considerable irritation of manner.