bettin' the monkey downed him, the Lord bein' on his side."

"But, s'pose furst," went on Archie B. argumentatively, "that you
wanted to give some money fur a little church that you wanted to
j'ine--up on the mountain side, a little po'-fo'k church, that
depended on charity--"

"I understan's, I understan's, Archie B., that wus the Lord's
doin's,--ten to one on the monkey, Archie--ten to one!"

"An' that you had ten dollars in gold around yo' neck in a little
bag, given you by your ole Granny when she died--an' knowin' how the
Lord wus for the monkey, an' it bein' a dead cinch, an' all that--an'
these fellers blowin' an' offerin' to bet ten to one--an' seein' you
c'ud pick it up in the road--all for the little church, mind you,
Bishop--"

"Archie B.," exclaimed the old man excitedly, "them bein' the facts
an' the thing at stake, with that ole dorg an' Jud Carpenter at the
bottom of it, I'd a put it up on the monkey, son--fur charity, you
know, an' fur the principle of it,--I'd a put it up, Archie B., if
I'd lost ever' cent!"

"Exactly, Bishop, an' I did--at ten to one--think of the odds! Ten to
one, mighty nigh as great as wus ag'in David."

"An' you won, of course, Archie B., you won in a walk?" said the old
man breathlessly. "God was fur you an' the monkey."

Archie B. smiled triumphantly and pulled out his handful of gold. The
old man sat down on a log, dazed.

"Archie B., sho'ly, sho'ly, not all that? An' licked the dorg, an'
that gang, an' cleaned 'em up?"

Archie B. told him the story with all the quaint histrionic talent of
his exuberant nature.

The Bishop sat and laughed till the tears came.

"An' Bonaparte went down the road with the monkey holt his tail--the
champion dorg--an' you won all that?"

"All fur charity, Bishop, except, you know, part fur keeps as a
kinder nes' egg."

"Of co-u-r-se--Archie B., of--course, no harm in the
worl'--if--if--my son--_if you carry out your original ideas_, or
promise, ruther; it won't work if you go back on yo' promise to God.
'God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform,'" added the
Bishop solemnly.

Archie B. slipped fifty of his dollars into the old man's hands.

"Do you know, Archie B., I prayed for this las' night? Now you tell
me God don't answer prayers?"

He was silent, touched. Seldom before had a prayer of his been
answered so directly.

"Fur charity, Archie B., fur charity. I'll take it, an' little you
know what this may mean."