a bright
picture, but don't go out there so soon. Wait at least a week. If she
finds that you are too anxious it might prejudice her against you."

"I don't know but you are right. I'll send the book anyway. But say,
she's got a cousin Jerry and I don't like that very much. I never saw
a fellow named Jerry that wasn't dangerous. But if you say wait, I
will."

"I say wait."

"All right, then wait it is, but I don't like that Jerry idea. What
sounds more devilish than 'Cousin Jerry.' Sort of an insinuating,
raspberry jam sound. But I'll wait. Go on and lie down."

CHAPTER XXVIII.

A GENTLEMAN MULE-BUYER.

Two days later Lyman was sitting in his office, musing over a pink
note from Eva, thanking him for the book, when Zeb Sawyer tapped at
the door. Lyman bade him enter and he stepped forward with a limp. He
sat down before saying a word, took out a handkerchief and wiped his
face.

"Haven't you got out of bed rather soon?" Lyman asked.

"No, I reckon not, though the doctor told me to lie there awhile
longer. But I couldn't--I wanted to come to see you. I am not much of
a writer," he added, looking about, "but I want to write an article
for your paper. I want to tell the public what a wolf I've been. And
it was mostly owing to liquor. I shot a man once when I was about half
drunk, and nearly every mean thing I ever did I can trace to whisky. I
don't often get what you might call drunk, but I generally go about
with a few drinks and that makes me mean. Will you print the
article?"

"No; let it all go. We all do wrong at times; we all have little
meannesses, like rheumatic pains in bad weather."

"Well, is there anything I can do to prove--to prove--you know what I
mean."

"Yes, you can be gentler toward man, remembering that there is
something good in every one."

"I believe that more than I used to," said Sawyer, mopping his
perspiring face. "I have laughed at preachers, and I hated you, but
you came along and showed me that, whether a man professes it or not,
there is something in the doctrine of mercy and forgiveness. I don't
think I ever prayed with my heart till this morning, and then I prayed
to be forgiven for my meanness; and it seemed to me that if you would
forgive me, the Higher Power would. I drove over to mother's before I
came here and I told her how mean I had been, and it struck her to the
heart with grief, but when I told her that I was going to be a better
man and follow in my fath