re Catholics, the same as the Irish," suddenly interjected the
lawyer, from his place by the window. Theron pricked up his ears at the
sound of his voice. There was an anti-Pierce note in it, so to speak,
which it did him good to hear. The consciousness of sympathy began on
the instant to inspire him with courage.

"I know some people SAY they are," Brother Pierce guardedly retorted
"but I've summered an' wintered both kinds, an' I hold to it they're
different. I grant ye, the Eyetalians ARE some given to jabbin' knives
into each other, but they never git up strikes, an' they don't grumble
about wages. Why, look at the way they live--jest some weeds an' yarbs
dug up on the roadside, an' stewed in a kettle with a piece o' fat the
size o' your finger, an' a loaf o' bread, an' they're happy as a king.
There's some sense in THAT; but the Irish, they've got to have meat an'
potatoes an' butter jest as if--as if--"

"As if they'd b'en used to 'em at home," put in Mr. Winch, to help his
colleague out.

The lawyer ostentatiously drew up his chair to the desk, and began
turning over the leaves of his biggest book. "It's getting on toward
noon, gentlemen," he said, in an impatient voice.

The business meeting which followed was for a considerable time confined
to hearing extracts from the books and papers read in a swift and formal
fashion by Mr. Gorringe. If this was intended to inform the new pastor
of the exact financial situation in Octavius, it lamentably failed of
its purpose. Theron had little knowledge of figures; and though he
tried hard to listen, and to assume an air of comprehension, he did not
understand much of what he heard. In a general way he gathered that the
church property was put down at $12,000, on which there was a debt of
$4,800. The annual expenses were $2,250, of which the principal items
were $800 for his salary, $170 for the rent of the parsonage, and $319
for interest on the debt. It seemed that last year the receipts had
fallen just under $2,000, and they now confronted the necessity of
making good this deficit during the coming year, as well as increasing
the regular revenues. Without much discussion, it was agreed that they
should endeavor to secure the services of a celebrated "debt-raiser,"
early in the autumn, and utilize him in the closing days of a revival.

Theron knew this "debt-raiser," and had seen him at work--a burly,
bustling, vulgar man who took possession of the pulpit as if it we