In three or four years, given ordinary trading luck, he must have doubled his own fortune and earned a world-wide reputation for far-seeing sagacity.
No sooner were all his arrangements completed than three of his best ships went down, saddling his company with an absolute loss of nearly L600,000, and seriously undermining his financial credit.

A fellow-director, wealthy and influential, resigned his seat on the board, and headed a clique of disappointed stockholders.

At once the fair sky became overcast.

A sound and magnificent speculation threatened to dissolve in the Bankruptcy Court.
Sir Arthur Deane's energy and financial skill might have enabled him to weather this unexpected gale were it not for the apparent loss of his beloved daughter with the crack ship of his line.

Half-frenzied with grief, he bade his enemies do their worst, and allowed his affairs to get into hopeless confusion whilst he devoted himself wholly to the search for Iris and her companions.