She did spend four pounds
or so at shops. And Denry had to pay the shops. He was thus temporarily
nearly two pounds out of pocket, and he had to collect that sum by
trifling instalments. Multiply this case by five hundred, and you will
understand the drain on Denry's capital. Multiply it by a thousand, and
you will understand the very serious peril which overhung Denry.
Multiply it by fifteen hundred and you will understand that Denry had
been culpably silly to inaugurate a mighty scheme like the Universal
Thrift Club on a paltry capital of two thousand pounds. He had. In his
simplicity he had regarded two thousand pounds as boundless wealth.
Although new subscriptions poured in, the drain grew more distressing.
Yet he could not persuade himself to refuse new members. He stiffened
his rules, and compelled members to pay at his office instead of on
their own doorsteps; he instituted fines for irregularity. But nothing
could stop the progress of the Universal Thrift Club. And disaster
approached. Denry felt as though he were being pushed nearer and nearer
to the edge of a precipice by a tremendous multitude of people.
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