which, by the end of a year, had grown far beyond his anticipations.

Accepting large consignments of goods, upon which advances had to be
made, required the raising of a great deal of money; and this Dalton
managed to accomplish without calling away the attention of his
partner from what he was engaged in doing. Thus matters went on for
about three years, when Dalton began to complain of failing health,
and to hint that he would be compelled to retire from active
business. Eldridge said that he must not think of this; but the
senior partner did think of it very seriously. From that time his
health appeared to break rapidly; and in a few months he formally
announced his intention to withdraw. Finding both remonstrance and
persuasion of no avail, the basis of a dissolution of the
copartnership was agreed upon, in which the value of the business
itself, that would now be entirely in the hands of Eldridge, was
rated high as an offset to a pretty large sum which Dalton claimed
as his share in the concern. Without due reflection, there being a
balance of five thousand dollars to the credit of the firm in bank,
which, by the way, was provided for special effect at the time by
the cunning senior, Eldridge consented that, for his share of the
business, Dalton should be permitted to take bills receivable
amounting to six thousand dollars; a check for two thousand, and his
notes for ten thousand dollars besides, payable in three to eighteen
months. After all this was settled, a dissolution of the
copartnership was publicly announced, and Eldridge, with some
misgivings at heart, undertook the entire management of the business
himself. It was but a very little while before he found himself
embarrassed in making his payments. The withdrawal of two thousand
dollars in cash, and six thousand in paper convertible into cash,
created a serious disability. In fact, an earnest and thorough