"Well, ma'am, if he comes in on me anywhere, an' asks any questions,
an' they're on the subject I talked about that night at the church
meetin', why, I'll say anythin' I know an' everythin' I believe, an' if
he says anythin' on the other side, why, all I've got to say is, he
can't change my mind the least bit."

"I'm very glad to hear you say so," said Mrs. Prency. "Ah, is the shoe
done, entirely done? Good. Very much obliged. It's quite as good as Mr.
Highgetty himself could have made it. Fifty cents, I believe? Is that
satisfactory?"

"Quite satisfact'ry, ma'am," said the substitute, as he rose from his
bench and removed his hat, which had been on his head during the
interview. Mrs. Prency started towards the door, but stopped suddenly
and turned back.

"Mr. Kimper, the young man, Mr. Bartram, of whom I spoke to you,--I
really believe he is inclined to come and talk to you, and perhaps talk
a great deal, about what you seem to believe very sincerely and what he
doesn't believe at all. I hope you won't change your mind through
anything that can be said to you by a person of that kind, or by any
person whatever?"

"Mrs. Prency," said the cobbler's substitute, taking his hat from the
bench on which he had placed it and circling it in his hand as if he
were endeavoring to stimulate his mental faculties, "whatever I believe
on that subject I'm goin' to stick to, an' nobody, not even if he is
the best lawyer in the county, or your husband himself, or the judge of
the biggest court in the United States, is goin' to change my mind
about it."