n himself appeared.

"What is it, Johnson?" he asked. "Anything wrong?"

The butler hastened to explain.

"No sir," he said; "nothing wrong exactly, sir. There is a person 'ere
to see you, sir, and--"

"To see me, eh? Who is it? Why, hello, Paine! is that you?"

"Mr. Colton," said I, "I am sorry to disturb you at such a late hour,
but--"

"Come in, come in," he interrupted. "What are you standing out there
for? Johnson, why didn't you ask Mr. Paine in? What do you mean by
keeping him out there?"

Mr. Johnson looked troubled.

"It was so late, sir," he stammered, "I thought--"

"You thought! If I had wanted any one to think I never should have hired
you. Come in, Paine. Come into the library."

He led the way to the library and I followed him. It was my second
visit to the big, handsomely furnished room and again, as on the first
occasion, the sight of the books and all the other refinements and
luxuries which money brings to its possessor gave me a pang of envy
and resentment. It added increased bitterness to the humiliation of my
errand. I had left that room defiantly expressing my independence. I had
come back to it--

"Sit down," ordered Colton, pulling forward the big, leather-covered
chair. "Have a cigar?"

"No thank you."

"Humph! That's what you said when you were here before. You're young,
Paine. When you get to be as old as I am you'll never refuse a good
cigar, or anything else that is good, when it is offered you. Well,
you're still standing. Aren't going to refuse to sit down, are you?"

That was exactly what I was going to do. I would not sit down in that
house. I would not accept the slightest courtesy from this man or any of
his people. I would get rid of the unpleasant task I had come to do and
then go away, never to return. They might make the most of the triumph
which was to be theirs, but I would compel them to understand that I
was not seeking their favor. I would not accept their patronage and they
should know it. This, as I look back at it now, seems silly and childish
enough, but I was not myself that night.

"Mr. Colton," said I, ignoring the proffered chair, "I have come to see
you on a matter of business."

"Business, eh? Umph! I thought probably you were going to ask me to
go fishing with you again. I'm all ready for another tussle with
those--what do you call 'em--squid--squit--good Lord! what a name for a
decent fish! But I don't care a continental what you call 'em. I'm