"You have never found me unfaithful." "I have only your word for it. When did you know me take a man's word?" "Never, sir." "And you never will. So--you did not go down to the postman when he knocked?" "No, sir." "And you have not been out of the house during my absence?" "No, sir." "Nor out of this room?" "No, sir." "Ah! Is that so--is that so? You have your office coat on, and your office slippers. Had you not better change them?" "I was going to do so, sir," said Abel Death. Mr. Boyd's keen eyes were upon him while he made the change. "May I hope, sir, that you will grant the request you kindly promised to consider? It may be a matter of life or death, it may indeed. It means so much to me--so much! I humbly beg you, sir, to grant it." "Let me see. You asked me for a loan." "A small loan, sir, of ten pounds. I have trouble and sickness at home, I am sorry to say." "It is inconceivable," said Mr. Boyd coldly, "that a man in regular employment should need a loan unless it is for the gratification of some unwarrantable extravagance. Your wages are paid regularly, I believe." "Yes, sir. I don't complain, but it is not an easy task to keep a wife and family on twenty-two shillings a week. I don't know how it is," said Abel Death, rubbing his forehead as though he were endeavouring to rub some problem out of it, or some better understanding of a social difficulty into it, "but when Saturday comes round we have never a sixpence left." "Very likely. It is the old story of improvidence. Thrift, Abel, thrift. That is the lesson the poor have to learn, and never will learn." "Ten pounds, sir, only ten pounds," implored Abel Death. "Only ten pounds!" exclaimed Mr. Boyd. "Listen to him. He calls ten pounds a small sum. Why, it is to millions of men a fortune!" "It is truly that to me, sir." "And if I lend it to you," said Mr. Boyd, with a sneering smile, "you will call down heaven's blessing upon me, you will remember me in your prayers?" "Yes, sir, yes," replied Abel Death confusedly. "There is the question of security, Abel." "I am a poor man, sir, but I will do anything you wish. I will give you a bill--I will sign any paper you write out--I will pay you any interest you like to charge. You can deduct five shillings from my wages every week till the debt is cancelled. I shall be eternally grateful to you, sir." His agitation was so great that he could not proceed. "Gratitude is no security," said Mr. Boyd, still with the sneering smile on his lips. "Prayers and heaven's blessing are no security. No business man would lend a shilling on them. They are not Property. You remarked a moment ago that I had never found you unfaithful. I will put it to the test. Let me see the slippers you have taken off." "My slippers, sir!" stammered Abel Death.