Phipps took the costly bundle of cigars that was handed to him, carried them by habit to his nose, said “Thank you, sir,” and went off down the stairs, felicitating himself on the ease with which he had won so choice a treasure.

The effect of Phipps’ signature on Mr. Belcher’s mind was a curious illustration of the self-deceptions in which a human heart may indulge.  Companionship in crime, the sharing of responsibility, the fact that the paper was to have been signed at the time it was drawn, and would have been signed but for the accident of Benedict’s insanity; the fact that he had paid moneys with the expectation of securing a title to the inventions he was using—­all these gave to the paper an air of genuineness which surprised even Mr. Belcher himself.

When known evil seems absolutely good to a man, and conscious falsehood takes on the semblance and the authority of truth, the Devil has him fast.

CHAPTER XX.

IN WHICH “THE LITTLE WOMAN” ANNOUNCES HER ENGAGEMENT TO JIM FENTON AND RECEIVES THE CONGRATULATIONS OF HER FRIENDS.

After the frame of Jim’s hotel was up, at Number Nine, and those who had assisted in its erection were out of the woods, he and his architect entered with great industry upon the task of covering it.  Under Mr. Benedict’s direction, Jim became an expert in the work, and the sound of two busy hammers kept the echoes of the forest awake from dawn until sunset, every day.  The masons came at last and put up the chimneys; and more and more, as the days went on, the building assumed the look of a dwelling.  The grand object was to get their enterprise forwarded to a point that would enable them to finish everything during the following winter, with such assistance as it might be necessary to import from Sevenoaks.  The house needed to be made habitable for workmen while their work was progressing, and to this end Mr. Benedict and Jim pushed their efforts without assistance.

Occasionally, Jim found himself obliged to go to Sevenoaks for supplies, and for articles and tools whose necessity had not been anticipated.  On these occasions, he always called Mike Conlin to his aid, and always managed to see “the little woman” of his hopes.  She was busy with her preparations, carried on in secret; and he always left her with his head full of new plans and his heart brimming with new satisfactions.  It was arranged that they should be married in the following spring, so as to be ready for city boarders; and all his efforts were bent upon completing the house for occupation.

During the autumn, Jim took from the Sevenoaks Post-Office a letter for Paul Benedict, bearing the New York post mark, and addressed in the handwriting of a lady.  The letter was a great puzzle to Jim, and he watched its effect upon his companion with much curiosity.  Benedict wept over it, and went away where he could weep alone.  When he came back, he was a transformed man.  A new light was in his eye, a new elasticity in all his movements.