"Ah! what's the matter?" said the other.

"All the hands were discharged at noon, and the mill shut down."

"How comes that?"

"They've been losing money from the start."

"Rather bad practice, I should say."

"It involves some bad practices, no doubt."

"On Willy's part?"

"Yes. He is reported to have squandered the means placed in his
hands, after a shameless fashion."

"Is the loss heavy?"

"So it is said."

"How much?"

"Reaching to thirty or forty thousand dollars. But this is rumor,
and, of course, an exaggeration."

"Of course. No such loss as that could have been made. But what
was done with the money? How could Willy have spent it? He dashes
about a great deal; buys fast horses, drinks rather freely, and