Jack had returned,
and was threatening an excited woman with the police. It seemed
she had miscalculated the date, and had come a day too late with
her interest.
Having got rid of her, he came into the parlour with the watch in
his hand.
"It's providential she was late," he said, looking at it; "it's
worth ten times what I lent on it."
He packed his father back into the shop, and his mother down into
the kitchen to get his tea, and for a while we sat together
talking.
I found his conversation a strange mixture of self-laudation,
showing through a flimsy veil of self-disparagement, and of
satisfaction at the conviction that he was "saved," combined with
equally evident satisfaction that most other people weren't--
somewhat trying, however; and, remembering an appointment, rose to
go.
He made no effort to stay me, but I could see that he was bursting
to tell me something. At last, taking a religious paper from his
pocket, and pointing to a column, he blurted out:
"You don't take any interest in the Lord's vineyard, I suppose,
sir?"
I glanced at the part of the paper indicated. It announced a new
mission to the Chinese, and heading the subscription list stood the
name, "Mr.
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