ens just when I need most of all to have things go along
straight and smooth. Gracious! if some of these papers in my pocket
don't work the way they ought to, I don't know how things are going to
come out."

The deacon had almost reached the business street as this soliloquy
went on, but he seemed inclined to carry on his conversation with
himself: so he deliberately turned about and slowly paced the way
backward towards his home.

"I shouldn't wonder," said he, after a few moments of silence, in
which his mind seemed busily occupied,--"I shouldn't wonder if that was
the best way out, after all. I do believe I'll do it. Yes, I will do
it. I'll go and buy out that shoe-shop of Larry Highgetty's, and I'll
let Sam Kimper have it at just what it costs, and trust him for all the
purchase-money. I don't believe the good-will of the place and all the
stock that is in it will cost over a couple of hundred dollars; and
Larry would take my note at six months almost as quick as he'd take
anybody else's money. If things go right I can pay the note, and if
they don't he can get the property back. But in the meantime folks
won't be able to say anything against me. They can't say then that I'm
down on Sam, like some of them say now, and if anybody talks about
Bartram and the upper-crust folks that have been helping the meetings
along, I can just remind them that talk is cheap and that it's money
that tells. I'll do it, as sure as my name's Quickset; and the quicker
I do it the better it will be for me, if I'm not mistaken."

The deacon hurried off to the shoe-store. As usual, the only occupant
of the shop was Sam.

"Where's Larry, Sam?" asked the deacon, briskly.

"I don't know, sir," said Sam, "but I'm afraid he's at Weitz's
beer-shop."

"Well, Sam," said the deacon, trying to be pleasant, though his mouth
was very severely set, "while you're in the converting line,--which I
hear you're doing wonders at, and I'm very glad to hear it,--why don't
you begin at home and bring about a change in Larry?"

"Do you know, deacon," said Sam, "I was thinkin' about the same thing?
and I'm goin' to see that priest of his about--"

"Oh, Sam!" groaned the deacon. "The idea of going to see a Catholic
priest about a fellow-man's salvation, when there's a special meeting
running in our own church and you've taken such an interest in it!"

"Every man for his own, deacon," said Sam. "I don't believe Larry cares
anythin' about the church that y