His aunt
Eliza Goring had left stock in a mine which had run out of pay ore soon
after her investment, and shut down. It had recently been recapitalized
and a new vein discovered. Mrs. Goring's executor had sold her stock for
something under twenty thousand dollars, delivering the proceeds, as
directed in her will, to two of her amazed heirs, Mortimer and Gora Dwight.
Gora had been opposed to her brother leaving the firm of Cheever Harrison
and Cheever, where, beyond question, he would be head of a department in
time and safely anchored for life; but he had taken the step, and she
reasoned that he must have a considerable knowledge of a business with
which he had been associated for fourteen years, she knew his energy and
powers of application, and she resented the attitude of "the family."
Appreciating what his triumph would mean to him she had consented to
invest her inheritance in his business and enable him to make immediate
restitution to Mrs. Groome. As a matter of fact his "stock did go up"
with the family, particularly as he seemed to be doing well and had the
reputation of working harder than any young man on the street. As he had
anticipated, a good deal of business was thrown his way.
He had accepted as a matter of course Mrs. Groome's invitation to live with
her, paying, as he insisted upon it, a stipulated sum toward the current
expenses. He thought her offer quite natural; not only would she be lonely
without the child of her old age, but she must desire that Alexina continue
to live in the conditions to which she was accustomed; the sum Mrs.
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