Thereafter at other windows he wilfully dismayed his brother by pretending to consider the purchase of objects in no sense desirable to any one, such as boots, parasols, manicure sets, groceries, hardware.

He played with the feel of his wealth, relishing the power it gave him over the moneyless.
And then purely to intensify this thrill of power he actually purchased at the hardware shop and carelessly bestowed upon the mendicant brother an elaborate knife with five blades and a thing which the vender said was to use in digging stones out of horses' feet.

Merle was quite overcome by this gift, and neither of them suspected it to be the first step in the downfall of the capitalist.

The latter, be it remembered, had bought and bestowed the knife that he might feel more acutely his power over this penniless brother, and this mean reward was abundantly his.

Never before had he felt superior to the Merle twin.
But the penalties of giving are manifold, and he now felt a novel glow of sheer beneficence.