t down that we must be bound to the letter of our
agreements. That bein' so, we seen it in the light of duty not to change
what we'd set our hands to. That's how it is, Brother Ware."

"I understand," said Theron, with an effort at polite calmness of tone.
"And--is there anything else?"

"There's this," broke in Brother Pierce: "we're commanded to be
law-abiding people, an' seven per cent WAS the law an' would be now if
them ragamuffins in the Legislation--"

"Surely we needn't go further into that," interrupted the minister,
conscious of a growing stiffness in his moral spine. "Have we any other
business before us?"

Brother Pierce's little eyes snapped, and the wrinkles in his forehead
deepened angrily. "Business?" he demanded. "Yes, plenty of it. We've
got to reduce expenses. We're nigh onto $300 behind-hand this minute.
Besides your house-rent, you get $800 free an' clear--that is $15.38
every week, an' only you an' your wife to keep out of it. Why, when
I was your age, young man, and after that too, I was glad to get $4 a
week."

"I don't think my salary is under discussion, Mr. Pierce--"

"BROTHER Pierce!" suggested Winch, in a half-shuckling undertone.

"Brother Pierce, then!" echoed Theron, impatiently. "The Quarterly
Conference and the Estimating Committee deal with that. The trustees
have no more to do with it than the man in the moon."

"Come, come, Brother Ware," put in Erastus Winch, "we mustn't have no
hard feelin's. Brotherly love is what we're all lookin' after. Brother
Pierce's meanin' wasn't agin your drawin' your full salary, every cent
of it, only--only there are certain little things connected with the
parsonage here that we feel you ought to bear. F'r instance, there's the
new sidewalk we had to lay in front of the house here only a month ago.
Of course, if the treasury was flush we wouldn't say a word about it.
An' then there's the gas bill here. Seein' as you get your rent for
nothin', it don't seem much to ask that you should see to lightin' the
place yourself."

"No, I don't think that either is a proper charge upon me," interposed
Theron. "I decline to pay them."

"We can have the gas shut off," remarked Brother Pierce, coldly.

"As soon as you like," responded the minister, sitting erect and tapping
the carpet nervously with his foot. "Only you must understand that I will
take the whole matter to the Quarterly Conference in July. I already see
a good many other interesting questi