m, but they are full of starch to give 'em body, and when they
get wet they are about as porous as a fish-net."

"That's a fact, Brother Henley," spoke up the preacher, with a slow and
deliberate nod. "We've been looking around and receiving circulars from
all sides, and we have found it purty hard to run across a durable tent
at a price we can afford; but there was a drummer here from Nashville
the other day, and he claimed--"

"I'd advise you to let drummers alone, too," and Henley brushed away the
preacher's words with a firm and all-wise hand. "You see, in my constant
contact at the store I know 'em all the way down to the ground. They are
the most ungodly pack on earth. Most of 'em drink and play poker, an'
never look inside of a Bible. The fact is, if I may be allowed to speak
of it at such a time, I happened myself, awhile back, to buy a whopping
big tent from a stranded show. I thought at the time that some such a
need as this might arise, and so I bid it in. To get it, I had to pay
for a lot of old planks and such-like, but in doing it I secured a
rattling good thing. It was a bargain; but I could let a good
organization like yours have it for a sight less than a new tent not
halt as big would cost. It would last a lifetime. It is big enough to
hold the multitude that ate the loaves and fishes. It was made for rough
wear and must have cost a pile of money. I don't know but what we all
could agree on a price--that is, if I had any idea of how much your body
would feel disposed to--to invest in a tent."

"We have fifty dollars in the treasury," spoke up the preacher, with an
eagerness that blended in his face and voice. "Of course, it may not be
near enough to--" He blew his nose and coughed.

Henley stroked his face thoughtfully, and he had the look of a man who
was making a polite effort to be resigned to disappointment.

"Well, of course, I _had_ hoped that I might do much better than that,"
he said finally, looking around at the anxious group, "but, as I said
at the start, I want to help you along. You know I said I'd contribute
five myself, so--to be accurate--we'd better call the price fifty-five.
Then I'll take what you've got in the treasury and call it even."

There was a murmur and shuffle of released suspense throughout the hall.
The preacher beamed joyfully as he reached forward and shook Henley
warmly by the hand.

"There's no use putting it to a vote," he said. "I'll take the
responsibility a