THE REVEREND PEACEMAKER. 75 



tain, that we couldn't live too well prepared 

 in every way for death ; and he talked so 

 kindly, that though I was as determined as 

 ever not to speak to the man again, the time 

 seemed scarcely any before we got to his 

 door ; and I was for saying good night, only 

 he asked me just to light him along his pass- 

 age into the kitchen, which I was glad to 

 do. I noticed, when he shut the door after 

 me, that he locked it, and put the key in his 

 pocket ; and it seemed odd, but I saw the 

 reason in a minute when we got into the 

 kitchen, for there stood Whittaker. " Now," 

 said he, " I've got you here to ask you to 

 help me to a good night's rest, by knowing 

 you are friends again ;" and he repeated to 

 us both a deal he'd been saying on the way. 

 "Well," said I, " if Whittaker will beg my 

 pardon, I'll forgive and forget." "I've no- 

 thing to beg your pardon for," said he ; 

 " what have I said or done ?" " Why," said 

 I, " you told the carrier, when I left Bird- 

 wood, that there was some good reason for 

 it, or I shouldn't have lost my place there ; 

 and you might as well have told the barber, 

 for I heard of it again, and more than once, 

 and it did me a deal of harm that I never 



