ular,
isn't it, that we never know when we are about to stumble upon
something new."

"You don't mean----"

"I don't know that I do. But I mean that you'll take that back or
carry away a thrashing that will make you stagger. Did you ever see a
man wabbling off after a thrashing that he was hardly able to carry?
Sad sight sometimes. The last man that I whipped weighed about forty
pounds more than I do. He presumed on his weight. But he soon found
out that his flesh was very much in his way. He was a saw mill man and
a bully; and it so tickled Uncle Buckley that nothing would do but I
must come to his house and live as one of the family. Out at Fox Grove
a man who won't be imposed upon stands high."

"Lyman, I don't want any trouble, and----"

"Oh, it won't be any trouble."

"And I acknowledge that I was hasty. I take it back, and here's my
hand on it."

"I'm obliged to you for taking it back, Caruthers, but I don't want to
take your hand. I don't understand it, but a spiritual something seems
to have arisen between us."

"All right," said Caruthers, "but I hope we don't part as enemies."

"Oh, no, not as enemies. You speak of parting as if you were the one
who has to vacate."

"Yes, I have rented an office over on the other side of the square, on
the ground floor."

"It is very kind of you to leave me here," said Lyman. "You might have
ordered me out. I am glad you didn't."

"Such a proceeding could never have entered my head," Caruthers
replied. "In fact, I thought that if the separation must come you
would rather stay here. You appear to have a fondness for that
clanking old press out there."

"Yes, I can make it grind out my rent. When are you going to vacate
the premises?" Lyman asked, his grave countenance lighted with a
smile.

"Now, or rather in a very few minutes."

"Is there anything holding you?"

"Come Lyman, old man, don't jog me that way. And I wish you wouldn't
look at me with that sort of a smile. Everybody says you have the
kindest face in the world----"

"Without a bristle to hide its sweetness," Lyman broke in.

"Yes," Caruthers assented, "the innocence of a boy grown to manhood
without knowing it."

"And you have remained to tell me this?"

"Oh, I'll go now," said Caruthers, getting up.

"I wish you would. Up to a very short time ago I thought you one of
the most whimsically entertaining men I ever met, but as I said just
now, a spiritual disparagement has arisen between us