thank me. But
our ways are different ways, none the less. You are wet, and you look
weary. Will you drink something before you go?"

He had replaced his neckerchief loosely, and had stood, keenly observant
of me, biting a long end of it. "I think," he answered, still with the
end at his mouth and still observant of me, "that I will drink (I thank
you) afore I go."

There was a tray ready on a side-table. I brought it to the table
near the fire, and asked him what he would have? He touched one of the
bottles without looking at it or speaking, and I made him some hot rum
and water. I tried to keep my hand steady while I did so, but his look
at me as he leaned back in his chair with the long draggled end of his
neckerchief between his teeth--evidently forgotten--made my hand very
difficult to master. When at last I put the glass to him, I saw with
amazement that his eyes were full of tears.

Up to this time I had remained standing, not to disguise that I wished
him gone. But I was softened by the softened aspect of the man, and felt
a touch of reproach. "I hope," said I, hurriedly putting something into
a glass for myself, and drawing a chair to the table, "that you will not
think I spoke harshly to you just now. I had no intention of doing it,
and I am sorry for it if I did. I wish you well and happy!"

As I put my glass to my lips, he glanced with surprise at the end of his
neckerchief, dropping from his mouth when he opened it, and stretched
out his hand. I gave him mine, and then he drank, and drew his sleeve
across his eyes and forehead.

"How are you living?" I asked him.

"I've been a sheep-farmer, stock-breeder, other trades besides, away in
the new world," said he; "many a thousand mile of stormy water off from
this."

"I hope you have done well?"

"I've done wonderfully well. There's others went out alonger me as has
done well too, but no man has done nigh as well as me. I'm famous for
it."

"I am glad to hear it."

"I hope to hear you say so, my dear boy."

Without stopping to try to understand those words or the tone in which
they were spoken, I turned off to a point that had just come into my
mind.

"Have you ever seen a messenger you once sent to me," I inquired, "since
he undertook that trust?"

"Never set eyes upon him. I warn't likely to it."

"He came faithfully, and he brought me the two one-pound notes. I was
a poor boy then, as you know, and to a poor boy they were a little
fortune.