size up big, you know. Be sure and invite your friends.'

"For a second I thought Kirke would strike him. I shook the sandwich
at him warningly and he answered with a wave of his own,--yes, he had
his sandwich, too. Then he said in a low voice, 'All right, Matters.
But you call me in that trial and I'll get you.'

"'Oh, oh, Sonny, you must not threaten an officer of the law,' said
Matters, in a hateful, chiding voice. He turned and sauntered away.
Kirke and I watched him silently until he was out of sight. Then we
turned to each other sympathetically.

"'Let's go back after that coffee,' said Kirke bravely.

"He took a bite of his sandwich thoughtfully, and I did of mine, trying
to eat the lump in my throat with it. An hour later we went our
separate ways.

"I heard nothing further for two weeks, then Mr. Nesbitt was called
East on business and said I might go home if I liked. Imagine my
ecstasy. I found the family, as well as all Methodists in general,
quite uplifted over the strange case of Kirke Connor. From a
semi-satanic, he had suddenly evoluted into a regular pillar, as became
the son of his saintly mother and his orthodox father. He attended
church, he sang in the choir, he went to Sunday-school, he was
prominent at prayer-meeting. Every one was full of pious satisfaction
and called him 'dear old Kirke,' and gave him the glad hand and invited
him to help at ice-cream socials. No one could explain it, they
thought he was a Mount Mark edition of Twice Born Men in the flesh.