Well, when that happened, you see, Brother Gorringe, not being a professin' member, and so not bound by our rules, he could just as well as not let his interest down a cent.

But Brother Pierce an' me, we talked it over, an' we made up our minds we were tied hand an' foot by our contract.

You know how strong the Discipline lays it down that we must be bound to the letter of our agreements.

That bein' so, we seen it in the light of duty not to change what we'd set our hands to.

That's how it is, Brother Ware." "I understand," said Theron, with an effort at polite calmness of tone.
"And--is there anything else ?" "There's this," broke in Brother Pierce: "we're commanded to be law-abiding people, an' seven per cent WAS the law an' would be now if them ragamuffins in the Legislation--" "Surely we needn't go further into that," interrupted the minister, conscious of a growing stiffness in his moral spine.