"I did," answered Townsend, with some hesitation and a wish that he could deny the fact and thus escape the duties certain to be forced upon him. "Yes, I saw it all, and it was most disgraceful. But I hope--" That intended lecture was lost to the world, as so many others have been; for Rowan interrupted him: "Are you poor?" "No, I cannot say that I am, in money!" was the surprised reply. "Were you ever?" "No--I must answer in the negative a second time. I have never been what the world calls poor, since I can remember." "Then you do not know how it feels," said the Illinoisan. "I am poor--I have never been rich, and I do not know that I have ever really wished to be so until a few moments ago. I wanted to buy a puppy, so that I could tie a stone to his neck and drown him; but I felt that I had not money enough." Townsend, still surprised and in a good deal of doubt whither the conversation was tending, murmured something about the fact that however decided the insult of the brother had been, evidently the sister did not share in the feeling. "She? oh no, heaven bless her brown eyes!" he replied, rapidly and earnestly, while the other could see, in the light of the now fairly risen moon, that there was a strange sparkle in his own dark orbs. "As for the rest--well, heaven need not be particular about blessing them--that is all! But this gabble is not what I drew you out here for. I want you to do me a great favor, at once, and I ask _you_, because I seem to be better acquainted with you, after a very short time, than with any other person just now at the Notch." "Now it is coming--just what I dreaded!" said Townsend to himself; but he answered very differently, in a feeble attempt to stave off the trouble. "Than _any_ other person?" "Hold your tongue!--you know what I mean!" was the reply. "Answer my question, yes or no--are you the man upon whom I can depend, to do me an immediate personal service that may involve some sacrifice of bodily comfort and perhaps of feeling?" "I hope so--yes!" answered Townsend. "But before you take any steps in this matter--" "Conditions already?" asked Rowan. "I thought it was to be an unconditional yes or no!" "Well, it is!" said Townsend, apparently satisfied that expostulation would after all be useless. "Enough said!" replied Rowan, catching him by the arm. "Come along with me to the alley, then, and roll me not less than five games of ten-pins." "But the business you wished me to do?" asked Townsend. "If it is to be done at all--" "Why, confound the man!--what ails you? _That_ is the business!" "To roll you five games of ten-pins?" "Exactly! Why, what else should it be? Oh, I see!" and Rowan chuckled out a low laugh from his great throat. "I understand your tragic face, now. You thought that I wanted you as a friend, to--"