all!"

And out he strode, whistling as he went. With his departure every one
began to move,--the more quickly as the clock in the bar had struck ten
a minute or two since. The Reverend Mr. Arbroath stood irresolute for a
moment, wishing his chief enemy, "Feathery" Joltram, would go. But
Joltram remained where he was, standing erect, and surveying the scene
like a heavily caparisoned charger scenting battle.

"Tha's heerd Mizter Dubble's tale afore now, Pazon, hazn't tha?" he
inquired. "M'appen tha knaw'd the little chap as Christ's man zent to
prizon thysen?"

Arbroath lifted his head haughtily.

"A theft is a theft," he said, "whether it is committed by a young
person or an old one, and whether it is for a penny or a hundred pounds
makes no difference. Thieves of all classes and all ages should be
punished as such. Those are my opinions."

"They were nowt o' the Lord's opinions," said Joltram, "for He told the
thief as 'ung beside Him, 'This day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise,'
but He didn't say nowt o' the man as got the thief punished!"

"You twist the Bible to suit your own ends, Mr. Joltram," retorted
Arbroath contemptuously. "It is the common habit of atheists and
blasphemers generally."

"Then, by the Lord!" exclaimed the irrepressible "Feathery," "All th'
atheists an' blasphemers must be a-gathered in the fold o' the Church,
for if the pazons doan't twist the Bible to suit their own ends, I'm
blest if I knaw whaat else they does for a decent livin'!"

Just then a puff of fine odour from the Havana cigar which Helmsley was
enjoying floated under the nostrils of Mr. Arbroath, and added a fresh
touch of irritation to his temper. He turned at once upon the offending
smoker.

"So! You pretend to be poor!" he snarled, "And yet you can smoke a cigar
that must have cost a shilling!"

"It was given to me," replied Helmsley gently.

"Given to you! Bah! Who would give an old tramp a cigar like that?"

"I would!" And Tom o' the Gleam sprang lightly up from his chair, his
black eyes sparkling with mingled defiance and laughter--"And I did!
Here!--will you take another?" And he drew out and opened a handsome
case full of the cigars in question.

"Thank you!" and Arbroath's pallid lips trembled with rage. "I decline
to share in stolen plunder!"

"Ha--ha--ha! Ha--ha!" laughed Tom hilariously. "Stolen plunder! That's
good! D'ye think I'd steal when I can buy! Reverend sir, Tom o' the
Gleam is particular as