“Our lease expires when?” asked Hurstwood, thinking.  “Next February, isn’t it?”

“That’s right,” said Shaughnessy.

“It doesn’t say what the new man’s going to do with it,” remarked Hurstwood, looking back to the paper.

“We’ll hear, I guess, soon enough,” said Shaughnessy.

Sure enough, it did develop.  Mr. Slawson owned the property adjoining, and was going to put up a modern office building.  The present one was to be torn down.  It would take probably a year and a half to complete the other one.

All these things developed by degrees, and Hurstwood began to ponder over what would become of the saloon.  One day he spoke about it to his partner.

“Do you think it would be worth while to open up somewhere else in the neighborhood?”

“What would be the use?” said Shaughnessy.  “We couldn’t get another corner around here.”

“It wouldn’t pay anywhere else, do you think?”

“I wouldn’t try it,” said the other.  The approaching change now took on a most serious aspect to Hurstwood.  Dissolution meant the loss of his thousand dollars, and he could not save another thousand in the time.  He understood that Shaughnessy was merely tired of the arrangement, and would probably lease the new corner, when completed, alone.  He began to worry about the necessity of a new connection and to see impending serious financial straits unless something turned up.  This left him in no mood to enjoy his flat or Carrie, and consequently the depression invaded that quarter.

Meanwhile, he took such time as he could to look about, but opportunities were not numerous.  More, he had not the same impressive personality which he had when he first came to New York.  Bad thoughts had put a shade into his eyes which did not impress others favorably.  Neither had he thirteen hundred dollars in hand to talk with.  About a month later, finding that he had not made any progress, Shaughnessy reported definitely that Slawson would not extend the lease.

“I guess this thing’s got to come to an end,” he said, affecting an air of concern.

“Well, if it has, it has,” answered Hurstwood, grimly.  He would not give the other a key to his opinions, whatever they were.  He should not have the satisfaction.

A day or two later he saw that he must say something to Carrie.

“You know,” he said, “I think I’m going to get the worst of my deal down there.”

“How is that?” asked Carrie in astonishment.

“Well, the man who owns the ground has sold it. and the new owner won’t release it to us.  The business may come to an end.”

“Can’t you start somewhere else?”

“There doesn’t seem to be any place.  Shaughnessy doesn’t want to.”

“Do you lose what you put in?”

“Yes,” said Hurstwood, whose face was a study.

“Oh, isn’t that too bad?” said Carrie.