"He _must_ have meant me," replied Mr. Grant, with emphasis. "He
couldn't have said what he did, unless he had been informed of certain
things that have happened in this town. Had he not visited the
Harrisons, I might have doubted. But that fact places the thing beyond
a question."

"In what did the personality consist?"

"Did you not observe it?"

"No."

"Indeed!"

"I perceived no allusion to any one."

"There are plenty of others, no doubt, who did. I don't care to speak
of it just now. But you'll hear about it. I noticed three or four turn
and look at me while he was speaking. It will be a pleasant piece of
gossip; but if Mr. C-- doesn't take care, I'll make this place too hot
to hold him. I'm not the one to be set up as a target for any
whipper-snapper to fire at."

"Don't get excited, friend Grant. Wait awhile. I still think there is
some mistake."

"I beg your pardon; there is no mistake about it. He meant me. Don't I
know? Can't I tell when a man points his finger at me in a public
assembly?"

In his opinion, Mr. Grant was still further confirmed, ere he reached
his home, by the peculiar way in which sundry members of the
congregation looked at him. Of course, he was considerably disturbed on
the subject; and felt a reasonable share of indignation. In the
evening, he declined attending worship as an indication of his feelings
on the subject; and he doubted not that the new preacher would note his
absence and understand the cause.

About a year prior to this time, Mr. Grant, who was a manufacturing
jeweller, was called upon by a gentleman, who desired him to make a
solid gold wedding-ring. It was to be of the finest quality that could
be worked, and to be unusually heavy. When the price was mentioned, the
gentleman objected to it as high.

"Your neighbour, over the way," said the gentleman, "will make it for a
dollar less than you ask."

"Not of solid gold," replied Mr. Grant.

"Oh, yes. I would have no other."

Mr. Grant knew that the ring could not be made of fine, solid gold, for
the price his neighbour had agreed to take. And he knew, also, that in
manufacturing it, his neighbour, if he took the order, would fill up
the centre of the ring with solder--a common practice. On the spur of
the moment, he determined to do the same thing, and therefore replied--

"Well, I suppose I must work as low as he does."

"The ring must be of solid gold, remember. I will have no other."

"That's und