Even the black cat , at her feet , ceased preening his fur . Mrs. George felt that the undivided attention of her audience was hers . `` Baxter Brothers have failed , '' she said , her green eyes shooting out flashes of light . `` Failed DISGRACEFULLY ! '' She paused for a moment ; but , since her hearers were as yet speechless from surprise , she went on . `` George came home from Newbridge , just before I left , with the news . You could have knocked me down with a feather . I should have thought that firm was as steady as the Rock of Gibraltar ! But they 're ruined -- absolutely ruined . Louisa , dear , can you find me a good needle ? '' `` Louisa , dear , '' had set her biscuits down with a sharp thud , reckless of results . A sharp , metallic tinkle sounded at the closet where Sara had struck the edge of her tray against a shelf . The sound seemed to loosen the paralyzed tongues , and everybody began talking and exclaiming at once . Clear and shrill above the confusion rose Mrs. George Pye 's voice . `` Yes , indeed , you may well say so . It IS disgraceful . And to think how everybody trusted them ! George will lose considerable by the crash , and so will a good many folks . Everything will have to go -- Peter Baxter 's farm and Lige 's grand new house . Mrs. Peter wo n't carry her head so high after this , I 'll be bound .
George saw Lige XXXXX the Bridge , and he said he looked dreadful cut up and ashamed . ''
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