Maybe you think Mr. Tidd was joking with Silas Doolittle Bugg, but he wasn’t. That was his way. He’d have acted just that way if the house really was on fire, and probably he’d have stopped the fire company on the lawn to read to them out of the _Decline and Fall_ if the roof was blazing. “Well, I swan!” says Silas. “Hain’t that what you wanted to break to me, Silas?” Mr. Tidd says. “No,” says Silas; “it was somethin’ else.” “Oh!” says Mr. Tidd. “Want me to guess ag’in?” “’Twouldn’t do no good,” says Silas, drooping with discouragement. “You wouldn’t guess right.” “Maybe so,” says Mr. Tidd. “It’s about _me_,” says Silas. “You?” says Mr. Tidd. “Me and _you_.” “Oh, you and me? I want to know!” “Don’t you remember?” says Silas. “I hain’t certain,” says Mr. Tidd, scratching his leg again. “Don’t seem to remember anythin’.” “Money,” says Silas. “Oh, money?” Mr. Tidd says, as vague as a cloud of fog. “Lots of money,” says Silas. “Do tell,” says Mr. Tidd. “And my mill.” “Oh,” says Mr. Tidd. “It’s your mill that’s on fire?” “My mill hain’t afire. Nothin’s afire. You hain’t standin’ there tellin’ me you plumb clean forgot?” “I hain’t forgot exactly, Silas, but it don’t seem like I remember clear. You might sort of give me a hint.” “Promissory note,” says Silas. “Promissory note, eh? What about it, Silas? Um!... I’ve heard of promissory notes. Gibbon he don’t mention ’em, but I’ve heard tell of ’em somewheres. Now where was it? Lemme see.... Promissory note....” “I give you one.” “Much obleeged,” says Mr. Tidd. “What’ll I do with it?” “Say, you look here, Mr. Tidd. A promissory note means I promise to pay you money.” “To be sure,” says Mr. Tidd. “It’s kind of you. But I don’t calc’late to need money.” “That’s it,” says Silas. “You hain’t goin’ to git none.” “No?” says Mr. Tidd. “Hain’t I?” “Not a penny,” says Silas. “Not that I owe you.” “Well.... Well....” said Mr. Tidd. “You lent me money when I needed it to start up my mill,” said Silas. “So I did,” says Mr. Tidd. “Seems like I remember somethin’ about it. You was goin’ to pay it back or somethin’. That was it, wasn’t it?” “That’s the idee,” says Silas, “and that’s what I come to break to you. I was mighty nervous about comin’, but it had to be did. I jest can’t pay that money, Mr. Tidd. I’m plumb _busted_. The mill’s plumb busted. I can’t make no money out of her, and so I can’t pay you none. I come to tell you all you kin do is to take the mill.” “I don’t want no mills,” said Mr. Tidd. “You got to take it,” says Silas. “I got to?” “Sure as shootin’. It was your security, wasn’t it?” “_Was_ it?” says Mr. Tidd. “Well, I swan to man!” “So,” says Silas, “I come to tell you and to turn that there property over to you. It’s the best I kin do. I calc’late to be honest, but somehow I can’t figger to make money. I kin _lose_ money. You hain’t no idee how skilful I be at losin’ money.... The mill’s yourn and that’s all there is to it.”