"Yes," he at length said, as if he had been thinking seriously of
the effect of ten thousand dollars in his business. "The capital you
have would put a new face on every thing. That's certain. Suppose
you think the matter over, and I will do the same."

"I will, certainly. And I may say now, that there will hardly be any
hinderance on my part to the arrangement, if you should see it to be
advantageous all around."

Of course Mr. Dalton professed, after taking a decent time for
pretended reflection, to see great advantage to all parties in a
business connection, which in due time was formed. But few of those
who knew Eldridge were apprized of what he intended doing, and those
who did know, and were aware at the same time of Mr. Dalton's
character, like Mr. Hueston, concluded to mind their own business.

And so, unwarned of the risk he was encountering, an honest and
confiding young man was permitted to form a copartnership with a
villain, who had already been the means of involving three or four
unsuspecting individuals in hopeless embarrassment.

Confident that he had entered the road to fortune, Eldridge
commenced his new career. The capital he had supplied gave, as
Dalton had predicted, new life to the business, for the offer of
liberal cash advances brought heavier consignments, and opened the
way for more extensive operations. The general management of affairs
was left, according to previous understanding, in the hands of the
senior partner, as most competent for that department; while
Eldridge gave his mind to the practical details of the business,