“Don’t you look at the dark side, Henry?” replied his wife to this.  “I think you do.  You owe some eight or ten persons, and one of them has asked you for what was due.  You offered to work out the debt, and he accepted your offer.  To another who has not asked you, you go and make the same offer, which he declines, preferring to wait for the money.  There is nothing so really discouraging in all this, I am sure.  If he prefers waiting, let him wait.  No doubt it will be the same to us in the end.  As to our getting much ahead or many comforts around us until our debts are settled off, we might as well not think of that.  We will feel better to pay what we owe as fast as we earn it; and, more than that, it will put the temptation to distress us in nobody’s way.  If one man won’t let you work out your debt, why another will.  I’ve no doubt that two-thirds of your creditors will be glad to avail themselves of the offer.”

Thus re-assured, Gordon felt better.  On the next day he tried a third party to whom he owed fifteen dollars.  This man happened to keep a retail grocery and liquor store.  That is, he had a bar at one counter, and sold groceries at the other.  Two-thirds of the debt was for liquor.  “I want to wipe off that old score of mine, if I can, Mr. King,” said Gordon, as he met the storekeeper at his own door.

“That’s clever,” replied Mr. King.  “Walk in.  What will you take?  Some brandy?”

And Mr. King stepped behind the counter and laid his hand upon a decanter.

“Nothing at all, I thank you,” replied Gordon quickly.

“Why how’s that?  Have you sworn off?”

“Yes.  I’ve joined the temperance society.”

The storekeeper shrugged his shoulders.  “I didn’t expect that of you, Gordon.  I thought you were too fond of a little creature comfort.”

“I ruined myself and beggared my family by drink, if that is what you mean by creature comfort.  Poor comfort it was for my wife and children, to say nothing of my own case, which was, Heaven knows, bad enough.  But I have come to talk to you about paying off that old score.  Now that I’ve given up drinking, I want to try and be honest if I can.”

“That’s right.  I like to see a man, when he sets out to be decent, go the whole figure.  Have you got the money?”

“No.  I wish I had.  I have no money and not half work; but I have time on my hands, Mr. King.”

“Time?  That is what some people call money.  You want to pay me in time, instead of money, I presume?  Rather rich, that, Gordon!  But time don’t pass current, like money, in these diggins, my friend.  There are a plenty who come here—­and throw it away for nothing.  I can get more than I want.”

“I have no wish to throw my time away, nor to pass it upon you for money, Mr. King.  What I want is, to render you some service—­in other words, to work for you, if you can give me something to do.  I have time on my hands unemployed, and I wish to turn it to some good account.”