l have to
depend upon your word for it. You consider that a fair price for the
property?"

"Well, o' course, fer cash I might knock off fifty."

"I see. Then nineteen hundred and fifty is an honest value of the
whole estate?"

"I 'low as much."

"Deacon."

"Yes" (eagerly).

"You 're a member of the church."

"Yes" (lamely).

"And you certainly would n't deal unfairly with a neighbor on Sunday?"

"What--"

"It's thirteen minutes of ten on a Saturday night. That's pretty near
Sunday, is n't it?"

"What of it?" (suspiciously).

"Remember that advertisement you inserted in the Berringdon Gazette?"

There was a silence of a minute.

"Wall," faltered the deacon rather feebly, "I thought mebbe ye wanted
the farm fer a summer place. It's wuth more fer that."

"It is n't worth a cent more. You simply tried to steal two hundred
dollars."

"Ye mean ter say--"

"Exactly that; I 've prevented you from going to bed within two hours
of the Lord's day with the theft of two hundred dollars on your soul."

"If ye think I 'm gonter stand up here in th' cold and listen to sech
talk as thet--"

"I 'll give you fifteen hundred dollars cash for the place,"
interrupted Donaldson. "And remember that I know you through and
through. I even know how much you stole from old man Burnham."

This was a chance shot, but it evidently went home from the sound of
uneasy coughing and spluttering that came to him over the telephone.
Donaldson found considerable amusement in grilling this country Shylock.

"Why, the house 'n' barn is wuth more 'n thet," the deacon exploded.

"I 'll give you fifteen hundred dollars, and mail the money to you
to-night."

"See here, I don't know who ye be, but ye 're darned sassy. I won't
trade with ye afore Monday an'--"

"Then you won't trade at all."

"I 'll split th'--"

"You 'll take that price or leave it."

"I'll take it, but--"

"Good," broke in Donaldson sharply. "The operator here is a witness.
I 'll send the money to-night, and have a tenant in the house Tuesday.
Good night, Deacon."

"If yer--"

The rest of the sentence faded into the jangle of the line, but
Donaldson broke in again.

"Say, Deacon, were you really in bed at this time of night?"

"Gol darn--"

"Careful! Careful!"

"Wall, ye need n't think cause ye 're in N' York ye can be so all-fired
smart."

A sharp click told him that the deacon had hung up the receiver in
something of a temper. Donald