spoke the comfortablest words ever a farmer did speak to his
fellow-creatures, and many a man was lost afore he knew it when doing
business with John Warner, and never realised, till it came to the turn,
how a bargain which sounded so well had somehow gone against him after
all.

Of course, John prospered exceeding, for amongst his other gifts, he
weren't afraid of work. He knew his business very well indeed, and always
understood that it was worth his while to take pains with a beginner and
paid him in the long run so to do. People felt a good bit interested in
him, and though they knew there was a lot to hate in the man, yet they
couldn't give a name to it exactly. When a fallen foe was furious and
bearded John and shook a fist in his face, as sometimes happened, he'd
look the picture of sorrow and amazement and express his undying regrets.
But he never went back on nothing, and near though he might sail to the
wind, none ever had a handle by which to drag him before the Law. 'Twas
just the very genius of selfishness that sped him on his way victorious
every time.

He never took no hand in public affairs, nor offered for the Borough
Council, nor nothing like that. He might have been a useful man in Little
Silver, where we didn't boast more brains than we needed, nor yet enough;
but John Warner said he weren't one of the clever ones and felt very
satisfied with them that were, and applauded such men as did a bit of work
for nothing out of their public spirit. For praise, though cheap, is
always welcome, and he had a great art to be generous with what cost him
nothing.

He'd pay a man a thought above his market value if he judged him worth it,
and he often said that on a farm like Wych Elm, where everything was