CHAPTER XXI.
John walked to the front door with Mrs.Cullom, but she declined with such evident sincerity his offer to carry her bundle to the house that he let her out of the office and returned to the back room.

David was sitting before the fire, leaning back in his chair with his hands thrust deep in his trousers pockets.

He looked up as John entered and said, "Draw up a chair." John brought a chair and stood by the side of it while he said, "I want to thank you for the Christmas remembrance, which pleased and touched me very deeply; and," he added diffidently, "I want to say how mortified I am--in fact, I want to apologize for--" "Regrettin' ?" interrupted David with a motion of his hand toward the chair and a smile of great amusement.

"Sho, sho! Se' down, se' down.
I'm glad you found somethin' in your stockin' if it pleased ye, an' as fur's that regret o' your'n was concerned--wa'al--wa'al, I liked ye all the better for't, I did fer a fact.

He, he, he! Appearances was ruther agin me, wasn't they, the way I told it." "Nevertheless," said John, seating himself, "I ought not to have--that is to say, I ought to have known--" "How could ye," David broke in, "When I as good as told ye I was cal'latin' to rob the old lady?
He, he, he, he! Scat my -- --! Your face was a picture when I told ye to write that note, though I reckon you didn't know I noticed it." John laughed and said, "You have been very generous all through, Mr.
Harum." "Nothin' to brag on," he replied, "nothin' to brag on.