ed him timidly,
therefore, and said in a sad, entreating voice:

"Zeide! I should like to speak with you about important business."

The humble attitude of the once favourite child mollified the old
man; he looked less stern, and said shortly but gently: "Speak out."

"Zeide, permit me to shut the door and windows so that nobody hears
what I have to say."

"Shut them," replied Saul, and he waited with troubled face for the
grandson to begin.

After closing the door and windows Meir came close to his grandfather
and began:

"Zeide! I know that my words will bring you trouble and sorrow, but I
have nobody to go to; you were to me father and mother, and when in
trouble I come to you." His voice shook perceptibly.

The grandfather softened.

"Tell me everything. Though I have reason to be angry with you,
because you are not what I should like to see you, I cannot forget
that you are the son of my son who left me so early. If you have
troubles I will take them from you; if anybody has wronged you I will
stand up for you and punish him."

These words soothed and comforted the young man.

"Zeide!", he said, in a bolder tone, "thanks to you I have no
troubles of my own, and nobody has wronged me; but I have come across
a terrible secret, and do not know what to do with it, as I cannot
keep it concealed. I thought I would tell you, so that you, Zeide,
with the authority of your gray hair, might prevent a great crime and
a great shame."

Saul looked at his grandson half-anxiously, half-curiously.

"It is better people should not know any secrets or trouble about
any; but I know that if you do not speak to me, you will speak to
someone else, and troubles might come from it. Say, then, what is
this terrible secret?"

Meir answered

"This is the secret: Jankiel Kamionker, as you know, zeide, rents the
distillery from the lord of Kamionka. He distilled during the season
six thousand gallons of spirits, but did not sell any as prices were
low. Now prices have risen and he wants to sell; but he does not want
to pay the high government taxes."

"Speak lower," interrupted Saul, whose face betrayed great
uneasiness.

Meir lowered his voice almost to a whisper.

"In order not to pay the taxes Kamionker last night carted away all
the spirits to the Karaite's hill, where his innkeepers from all
parts came to bargain for it and buy it up. But he thought what would
become of him if the government officials came down to