mebbe go now, Meester."

"Good-night," said the host, briefly.

At the door the Pole would turn, and look back, with the wistfully
animal look of the Under Dog.

"Those cheeldren, they make to get you the leetle bug. You mebbe like
that, Meester, yes? They make to get you plenty much bug, those
cheeldren. We _all_ make to get you the bug, Meester, thank you."

"That's mighty nice of you folks." Then one felt the note in the quiet
voice which explained his hold upon people.

"Hell, no. We _like_ to do that for you, Meester. Thank you." And
closing the door gently after him, he would slink off.

"They don't need to be so allfired grateful," said John Flint frankly.
"Parson, I'm the guy to be grateful. I got a whole heap more out of
that shindy than a black eye and a pretty mouth. I was bluemolding for
a man-tussle, and that scrap set me up again. You see--I wasn't sure
of myself any more, and it was souring on my stomach. Now I know I
haven't lost out, I feel like a white man. Yep, it gives a fellow the
holiday-heart to be dead sure he's plenty able to use his fists if
he's got to. Westmoreland's right about that."

I was discreetly silent. God forgive me, in my heart I also was most
sinfully glad my Butterfly Man could and would use his fists when he
had to. I do not believe in peace at any price. I know very well that
wrong must be conquered before right can prevail. But I shouldn't have
been so set up!

"Here," said he one morning. "Ask Madame to give this to Jan's wife.
And say, beg her for heaven's sake to buy some salve for her eyelids,
will you?" "This" was a small roll of bills. "I owe it to Jan," he
explained, with his twistiest smile.

Westmoreland's skill removed all outward marks of the fray, and the
Butterfly Man went his usual way; but although he had laid at rest one
cruel doubt, he was still in deep waters. Because of his stress his
clothes had begun to hang loosely upon him.

Now the naturalist who knows anything at all of those deep mysterious
well-springs underlying his great profession, understands that he is a
'prentice hand learning his trade in the workshop of the Almighty;
wherein "_the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world
are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made_." As
Paul on a time reminded the Romans.

Wherefore I who had learned somewhat from the Little Peoples now
applied what they had taught me, and when I saw my man grow restless,
move a