and
he had signed. He slowly spelled it out, and, when he had finished,
asked:

"Does this here paper say anythin' about my payin' ye every month?"

"No, sir," Matt reluctantly admitted.

"But it does say, if ye quit yer work 'fore yer time is up, ye air to
have no pay, don't it?" inquired the man, significantly.

"Yes, sir," Matt replied, now realizing how mean and contemptible his
employer was, and what had been his real object in drawing up that
paper.

"Well, how can I know ye air goin' to stay with me yer hull time till
it's up?" he asked, with a show of triumph in his tones.

"Do you mean to say you don't intend to pay me anything until November?"
asked Matt, indignantly.

"That's the agreement," answered Mr. Noman, coolly, returning the paper
to his wallet and placing it in his pocket. "If ye'll keep yer part I'll
keep mine."

He then picked up his hoe and resumed his work.

For the first time since he came to the farm Matt felt an impulse to
leave his employer. It was with great difficulty, indeed, that he
refrained from throwing down his hoe, going to the house after his few
effects, and quitting the place forever. But he did not, and went
resolutely on with his work.

Fortunate for him was it--though he did not know it then--that he did
so. Later on, he could see that the ruling of his spirit that day won
for him, if not a city, certainly the happiest results, though severe
trials stood between him and their consummation.

That night, at as early an hour as possible, Matt sought his little
room. Closing the door carefully after him, he walked over to the rude
rack on the wall and took down his light overcoat. From an inside pocket
he drew a long wallet, and from that, a postal card. Addressing it with
a pencil to "A. H. Dinsmore, 1143 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y.," he
wrote rapidly and in small characters on the reverse side, without
giving place or date, the following words:

"DEAR SIR: My promise to send you some money every month until
the total amount due you was paid, I cannot keep for this reason:
Through a misunderstanding with my employer, I am not to have my
pay until the six months for which I have hired out are ended. At
that time you may expect a remittance from me.

"Truly yours,

"M. R."

It was several days later, however, before Matt had an opportunity to go
to the neighboring village. When he did so, he took care not to drop the
postal into the po