their fellow-creatures? There wouldn't be no business, no
justice, no trade, on such a rule as that."

"But, grandpapa--"

"Don't you but me. You've seen me in good spirits and good temper,
Phoebe, my girl; but you don't know old Sam Tozer when his spirit's up.
D---- him!" cried the old man, striking his hand violently on the table;
"and you may tell your father, as is a Minister, that I said so. The
Bible's spiritual; but there's trade, and there's justice. A man ain't
clear of what he's done because you forgive him. What's the law for
else? Forgive! You may forgive him as fast as you like, but he's got to
be punished all the same."

"But not by you."

"By the law!" cried Tozer. His inflamed eyes seemed to glare upon her,
his rough grey hair bristled on his head, a hot redness spread across
his face beneath his fiery eyes, which seemed to scorch the cheek with
angry flames. "The law that ain't a individual. That's for our
protection, whether we like it or not. What's that got to do with
forgiving? Now, looking at it in a public way, I ain't got no right to
forgive."

"Grandpapa, you have always been so kind, always so good to everybody. I
have heard of so many things you have done--"

"That is all very well," said Tozer, not without a certain gloomy
complacence, "so long as you don't touch _me_. But the moment as you
touches me, I'm another man. That's what I can't bear, nor I won't. Them
as tries their tricks upon me shan't be let off, neither for wife nor
child; and don't you think, my girl, though you're Phoebe, junior, that
you are a-going for to come over me."

Phoebe could not but shiver in her fright and agitation; but distressed
and excited as she was, she found means to take a step which was
important indeed, though at the moment she did not fully realize its
importance, and did it by instinct only. She had a handkerchief in her
hand, and almost without consciousness of what she was doing, she
crushed up the miserable bit of paper, which was the cause of so much
evil and misery, in its folds. He was far too impassioned and excited to
observe such a simple proceeding. It was the suggestion of a moment,
carried out in another moment like a flash of lightning. And as soon as
she had done this, and perceived what she had done, fortitude and
comfort came back to Phoebe's soul.

"You will not hear what I have found out, and now I do not choose to
tell you, grandpapa," she said, with an air of offence. "Un