La Sierra Madre

fcv,„ IMPROVEMENT ERA

were riotous doings at a modest house of call much favored by Horatio and fellow professionals. In the cold chill light of Friday morning Mr. Hardcastle, a trifle putty-colored about the gills, renewed his promises to the landlord, filled a tin box, which, properly speaking, should have held his worldly goods and chatties, with a couple of bricks and some tiles wrenched from a projecting angle of roof, carefully wrapped in brown paper, pocketed the implements of his trade, locked the attic door and sauntered downstairs ostentatiously whistling. The landlord, a disagreeable person of a skeptical turn of mind, deftly collared him on the doorstep. — " 'Ere, 'old on, Hardy none o' yor games, my boy. Drop that there box, an' I'll take care of it till you come 'ome again, with the rent in yer pocket. Mr. Hardcastle gingerly sat down the box in the passage. "I'm a man o' my word, I am," he retorted, with dignity. "When I say I'll pay, I means it. Wot's wrong with the box?" The landlord smiled wearily. "I don't like to see a man like you burdening yesself with it on a summer's day. Seems mighty — precious by the way you handle it heavy, too. You leave it here, and I'll watch it whiles you step over and have a glass of beer." "I won't!" declared Mr. Hardcastle, with energy, grabbing at the box. "I tell yer flat, I won't, and if yer want to know why —I don't trust yer, I owe the money, and I'll pay it, but leave " that there box "If yer don't you'll have to stop and keep it company, Hardy," cut in the landlord, dryly, and he eyed the box slantwise. In the face of Mr. Hardcastle's refusal, it had suddenly grown to be a desirable asset. "Hoh! that's the tune, is it?" retorted Mr. Hardcastle. He was full of pluck, but he stood a bare five feet four against the landlord's six foot. He hesitated. "Well, look 'ere, said he at last, "I'll leave it with yer, that's what I'll do. It's got a strong lock, and I've put my own private seal on it. See there?" pointing to an untidy dab of sealing wax. "If you go messing round I shall know, and then I'll lag for yer. Now leave me alone while I cure my parchin' throat, as you suggested. Though, mind," he added, "I don't exactly like it." "Maybe we might trade," said the landlord. "There might be some odds and ends as I'd take a fancy to; and for a fractional moment his left eyelid drooped. — "Maybe maybe not," retorted Mr. Hardcastle, gruffly. "No 'anky-panky, though," and he stepped over the threshold.