oor. "How much?"

"One dollar and a half."

"Too much, too much; I won't pay it."

"That was the sum agreed upon."

"Don't care, ye hain't earned no dollar 'n a half. Here, take that
an' clear out;" having said which, Brooke tossed some money at the
boy and slammed the door in his face. Trove counted the money--it
was a dollar and a quarter. He was sorely tempted to open the door
and fling it back at him, but wisely kept his patience and walked
away. It was the day before Christmas. Trove had planned to walk
home that evening, but a storm had come, drifting the snow deep,
and he had to forego the visit. After supper he went to the Sign
of the Dial. The tinker was at home in his odd little shop and
gave him a hearty welcome. Trove sat by the fire, and told of the
sawing for Riley Brooke.

"God rest him!" said the tinker, thoughtfully puffing his pipe.
"What would happen, think ye, if a man like him were let into
heaven?"

"I cannot imagine," said the boy.

"Well, for one thing," said the tinker, "he'd begin to look for
chattels, an' I do fear me there'd soon be many without harps."

"What is one to do with a man like that?" Trove inquired.

"Only this," said the tinker; "put him in thy book. He'll make
good history. But, sor, for company he's damnably poor."

"It's a new way to use men," said Trove.

"Nay, an old way--a very old way. Often God makes an example o'
rare malevolence an' seems to say, 'Look, despise, and be anything
but this.' Like Judas and Herod he is an excellent figure in a
book. Put him in thine, boy."

"And credit him with full payment?" the boy asked.

"Long ago, praise God, there was a great teacher," said the old
man. "It is a day to think of Him. Return good for evil--those
were His words. We've never tried it, an' I'd like to see how it
may work. The trial would be amusing if it bore no better fruit."

"What do you propose?"

"Well, say we take him a gift with our best wishes," said the
tinker.

"If I can afford it," the boy replied.

The tinker answered quickly: "Oh, I've always a little for a
Christmas, an' I'll buy the gifts. Ah, boy, let's away for the
gifts. We'll--we'll punish him with kindness."

They went together and bought a pair of mittens and a warm muffler
for Riley Brooke and walked to his door with them and rapped upon
it. Brooke came to the door with a candle.

"What d'ye want?" he demanded.

"To wish you Merry Christmas and present