s that."

Philip did not relish the light way in which Nick referred to such a
loss as he was suffering from, and, by way of changing the subject,
said:

"I believe you said you came on business, Nicholas?"

"Yes; that's what I wanted to come at. It's about your fiddle."

"My violin!" said Philip, rather surprised.

"Oh, well, fiddle or violin! what's the odds? I want to buy it."

"What for?"

"To play on, of course! What did you think I wanted it for?"

"But you can't play, can you?"

"Not yet; but I expect you could show me some--now, couldn't you?"

"What put it into your head to want to play on the violin?" asked
Philip, with some curiosity.

"Why, you see, the girls like it. It would be kind of nice when I go to
a party, or marm has company, to scrape off a tune or two-just like you
do. It makes a feller kinder pop'lar with the girls, don't you see?"
said Nick, with a knowing grin.

"And you want to be popular with the young ladies!" said Philip,
smiling, in spite of his bereavement, at the idea being entertained by
such a clumsy-looking caliban as Nick Holden.

"Of course I do!" answered Nick, with another grin. "You see I'm gettin'
along-I'll be nineteen next month, and I might want to get married
by the time I'm twenty-one, especially if the old man should drop off
sudden."

"I understand all that, Nicholas--"

"Call me Nick. I ain't stuck up if I am most a man. Call me pet names,
dearest."

And Nicholas laughed loudly at his witty quotation.

"Just as you prefer. Nick, then, I understand your object. But what made
you think I wanted to sell the violin?"

It was Nick's turn to be surprised.

"Ain't there goin' to be an auction of your father's things?" he said.

"Yes; but the violin is mine, and I am not going to sell it."

"You'll have to," said Nick.

"What do you mean by that, Nicholas Holden?" said Philip quickly.

"Because you'll have to sell everything to pay your father's debt. My
father said so this very morning."

"I think I know my own business best," said Philip coldly. "I shall keep
the violin."

"Maybe it ain't for you to say," returned Nick, apparently not aware of
his insolence. "Come, now, I'll tell you what I'll do. My father's got
a bill against yours for a dollar and sixty-four cents. I told father
I had a use for the fiddle, and he says if you'll give it to me, he'll
call it square. There, what do you say to that?"

Nicholas leaned back in his chair and looke