This did not
increase his popularity; neither, I grieve to say, did the intelligence
that his relatives were probably poor, and that the Reverend Mr.
Saltover had approved of his course, and had likened it to the rich
man's feast, to which the halt and blind were invited. Indeed, the
allusion was supposed to add hypocrisy and a bid for popularity to
Spindler's defection, for it was argued that he might have feasted
"Wall-eyed Joe" or "Tangle-foot Billy,"--who had once been "chawed" by
a bear while prospecting,--if he had been sincere. Howbeit, Spindler's
faith was oblivious to these criticisms, in his joy at Mr. Saltover's
adhesion to his plans and the loan of Mrs. Price as a hostess. In
fact, he proposed to her that the invitation should also convey that
information in the expression, "by the kind permission of the Rev. Mr.
Saltover," as a guarantee of good faith, but the widow would have none
of it. The invitations were duly written and dispatched.
"Suppose," suggested Spindler, with a sudden lugubrious
apprehension,--"suppose they shouldn't come?"
"Have no fear of that," said Mrs.
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