CHAPTER XXI.
LATE in the afternoon of the day on which occurred the incidents mentioned in the preceding chapter, Mr.Wilkinson, who had entirely recovered from his embarrassed condition, and who was now a sober man in every sense of the word, as well as a thrifty merchant, was standing at one of the counters in his large, well filled store, when a miserable looking creature entered and came back to where he stood.
"Good-day, Mr.Wilkinson," said the new-comer.
Surprise kept the merchant silent for some moments, when the other said-- "You don't know me, I presume." "Henry Ellis!" exclaimed Wilkinson.

"Is it possible you have fallen so low ?" "Just as you see me," was replied.
"You ought to be more of a man than this.

You ought to have more strength of character," said Wilkinson, giving utterance to the first thought that came into his mind.
"Oh, yes; it is easy to talk," replied Ellis, with a slight impatience of manner.

"But you know my history as well almost as I know it myself.
I was driven to ruin." "How so ?" "Why do you ask the question ?" "You refer to your wife ?" "Of course I do.

She drove me to destruction." "That is a hard saying, Mr.Ellis." "Yet true as that the sun shines.