n't trust you with a little
bill that ain't been owing three months yet! You make me that I don't
know myself, sir! Never you mention the bill to me again, sir. I'll ask
for it, all in good time. Can I serve you with any thing to-day, sir?"

"No, I thank you. I must at least avoid adding to my debt."

"I hope what you do have, you'll have of me, sir. I don't mind waiting a
goodish bit for my money, but what cuts me to the heart is to see any
one as owes me money a goin' over the way, as if 'e 'adn't 'a' found my
meat good enough to serve his turn, an' that was why he do it. That does
rile me!"

"Take my word for it, Mr. Jones--all the meat we have we shall have of
you. But we must be careful. You see I am not quite so--so--"

He stopped with a sickly smile.

"Look ye here, Mr. Drake!" broke in the butcher: "you parsons ain't
proper brought up. You ain't learned to take care of yourselves. Now us
tradespeople, we're learned from the first to look arter number one, and
not on no account to forget which _is_ number one. But you parsons,
now,--you'll excuse me, sir; I don't mean no offense; you ain't brought
up to 't, an' it ain't to be expected of you--but it's a great neglect
in your eddication, sir; an' the consekence is as how us as knows better
'as to take care on you as don't know no better. I can't say I think
much o' them 'senters: they don't stick by their own; but you're a
honest man, sir, if ever there was a honest man as was again' the
church, an' ask you for that money, I never will, acause I know when you
can pay, it's pay you will. Keep your mind easy, sir: _I_ shan't come to
grief for lack o' what you owe me! Only don't you go a starving of
yourself, Mr. Drake. I don't hold with that nohow. Have a bit o' meat
when you want it, an' don't think over it twice. There!"

The minister was just able to thank his new friend and no more. He held
out his hand to him, forgetful of the grease that had so often driven
him from the pavement to the street. The butcher gave it a squeeze that
nearly shot it out of his lubricated grasp, and they parted, both better
men for the interview.

When Mr. Drake reached home, he met his daughter coming out to find him.
He took her hand, led her into the house and up to his study, and closed
the door.

"Dorothy," he said, "it is sweet to be humbled. The Spirit can bring
water from the rock, and grace from a hard heart. I mean mine, not the
butcher's. He has behaved to me as I