Determined, however, to make one more effort in
behalf of his friend, he produced the missionary's draft and asked if the
manager would cash it.
"Certainly not," replied that individual promptly. "Under present
circumstances, Mr. Grant, we must decline to have any business dealings
with you other than to accept your receipt for forty dollars, which will
be paid you in the outer office."
So Cabot swallowed his pride, took what he could get, and left the bank a
little more downcast than he had been at any time since the day on which
President Hepburn had entrusted him with his present mission.
"I don't understand it at all," he muttered to himself, as he sought an
eating-house, where he proposed to expend a portion of his money in
satisfying his keen appetite. "Seems to me it is a mighty mean return
for all I have gone through, and Mr. Hepburn will have to explain matters
pretty clearly when I get back to New York."
From the eating-house Cabot sent a letter to White, explaining his
inability to secure the money he had expected, begging him to lie low for
a few days, and announcing his own immediate departure for New York, from
which place he promised to send back the amount of the draft immediately
upon his arrival. In this letter Cabot also enclosed fifteen dollars,
just to help White out until he could send him some more money. This
outlay left our young engineer but twenty-five dollars, but that would
pay for a steerage passage, which, he reflected, would be plenty good
enough for one in his reduced circumstances, and leave a few dollars for
emergencies when he reached New York.
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