ze it as hard as I do, but you will laugh at that.

"Mr. Nesbitt likes me, but he has--well, he has what a minister should
call a 'bad disposition.' I'll tell you more about it in German when I
meet you. German is the only language I know that can do him justice.

"I have been in trouble of one kind or another ever since I got here.
Mr. Nesbitt owns a lot of houses around town, and we have charge of
their rental. One day he gave me the address of one of his most tumble
down shacks, and promised me a bonus of five dollars if I rented it for
fifteen dollars a month on a year's lease. About ten days later, sure
enough I rented it, family to take possession immediately. Mr. Nesbitt
was out of town, so I took the rent in advance, turned over the keys,
and proceeded to spend the five dollars. I learned that system of
frenzied finance from you twins in the old days in the parsonage.

"Next morning, full of pride, I told Mr. Nesbitt about it.

"'Rented 800 Stout,' he roared. 'Why, I rented it myself,--a three
years' lease at eighteen a month,--move in next Monday.'

"'Mercy,' says I. 'My family paid a month in advance.'

"'So did mine.'

"'My family is already in,' says I. That was a clincher.

"He raved and he roared, and said I got them in and I could get them
out. But when he grew rational and raised my bonus to ten dollars, I
said I would do my best. He agreed to refund the month's rent, to pay
the moving expenses both in and out, to take over their five dollar
deposit for electric lights, and to pay the electric and gas bill
outstanding, which wouldn't be much for two or three days.

"So off marches the business baby to the conflict.

"They didn't like it a bit, and talked very crossly indeed, and said
perfectly horrible, but quite true, things about Messrs. Nesbitt and
Orchard. But finally they said they would move out, only they must
have until Friday to find a new house. They would move out on
Saturday, and leave the keys at the office.

"Mr. Nesbitt was much pleased, and said I had done nicely, gave me the
ten dollars and a box of chocolates and we were as happy as cooing
doves the rest of the day.

"But my family must have been more indignant than I realized. On
Saturday, at one o'clock, Mr. Nesbitt told me to go around by the house
on my way home to make sure the front door was locked. It was locked
all right, but I noticed that the electric lights were burning. Mr.
Nesbitt had not sent t