ry, I believe, but a
double knot's aye the safest."

Wilson looked at him with admiration.

"Gosh, Mr. Gibson," he cried, "you're a warmer! Ye deserve your name. Ye
ken what the folk ca' you?"

"Oh yes," said Gibson complacently. "I'm quite proud o' the
description."

"I've my ain craw to pick wi' Gourlay," he went on. "He was damned
ill-bred yestreen when I asked him to settle my account, and talked
about extortion. But bide a wee, bide a wee! I'll enjoy the look on his
face when he sees himself forced to carry for you, at a rate lower than
the market price."

When Gibson approached Gourlay on the following day he was full of
laments about the poor state of trade.

"Ay," said he, "the grand railway they boasted o' hasna done muckle for
the town!"

"Atwell ay," quoth Gourlay with pompous wisdom; "they'll maybe find, or
a's by, that the auld way wasna the warst way. There was to be a great
boom, as they ca't, but I see few signs o't."

"I see few signs o't either," said Gibson, "it's the slackest time for
the last twa years."

Gourlay grunted his assent.

"But I've a grand job for ye, for a' that," said Gibson, slapping his
hands. "What do ye say to the feck of a year's carting tweesht the
quarry and the town foot?"

"I might consider that," said Gourlay, "if the terms were good."

"Six shillins," said Gibson, and went on in solemn protest: "In the
present state o' trade, doan't ye see, I couldna give a penny more."
Gourlay, who had denounced the present state of trade even now, was
prevented by his own words from asking for a penny more.

"At the town foot, you say?" he asked.

"I've several jobs thereaway," Gibson explained hurriedly, "and you must
agree to deliver stuff ainy place I want it within four hundred yards o'
the Cross. It's all one to you, of course," he went on, "seeing you're
paid by the day."

"Oh, it's all one to me," said Gourlay.

Peter Riney and the new "orra" man were called in to witness the
agreement. Cunning Johnny had made it as cunning as he could.

"We may as well put a stamp on't," said he. "A stamp costs little, and
means a heap."

"You're damned particular the day," cried Gourlay in a sudden heat.

"Oh, nothing more than my usual, nothing more than my usual," said
Gibson blandly. "Good-morning, Mr. Gourlay," and he made for the door,
buttoning the charter of his dear revenge in the inside pocket of his
coat. Gourlay ignored him.

When Gibson got out he turned to