ere done with business," he said, innocently.

"Do you really mean that you withdraw your offer unless I will sign the
pledge?"

"Why certainly. I thought you understood that to be my proviso."

"But, Tode, don't you think that is forcing a fellow?"

"Not at all. You are perfectly free, of course, to do as you please. If
you please to decline a good offer, merely because you won't promise not
to drink what you say you don't drink, and not to sell what you say you
don't want to sell, why that is your own matter, of course, and I can
not help myself."

Jim mused a little.

"Well, you see," he said presently, "I do now and then take a drop of
wine, not enough to amount to much, and I'm in no danger of doing it
very often, for I honestly don't care much for it."

"No. What then?"

"Why, I'd have to stop that, of course, if I signed your pledge."

"Of course. What then?"

"Why, then," and here Jim broke down and laughed, and finally added:
"Tode, I wish you were not such an awful fanatic about this."

"But since I am, what is to be done?"

Silence fell between the two for a time, until Jim said with a little
touch of disgust:

"Tode, you're as set in your way as a stone wall."

"All right. What is the conclusion of the whole matter?"

"Oh fudge! bring on your pledge and give us a pen."

Instantly a drawer from a side table was drawn energetically out, and
pen, ink, and a veritable pledge were placed before the young man. A few
quick dashes of the pen, and "James H. McPherson" stood out in plain
relief under the strongly worded total abstinence pledge.

His companion waited with flushing cheek and eager eyes until the last
letter was written; then he sprang up with an energy that set the
arm-chair upside down, and uttered a vehement:

"Good! Jim, oh Jim, I could shout for joy. I have fairly held my breath
for fear you would not reach the point."

Jim laughed.

"What a fanatic you are!" he said in a tone of assumed carelessness.
"How do you know I won't break it to-morrow?"

"I know perfectly well. If I had not I should not have been so anxious
to have you sign to-night. You happen to be as set in _your_ way as an
acre of stone fences."

More talk ensued--eager, future plannings. Those two young men, very
unlike in many respects, yet assimilated on a few strong points.
Theodore had constantly kept a hold on his early friend--at first
because of the dear old mother, and finally because his stronger n