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overwork　or　underfeeding。　　With　all　this；　moreover；　Mr。　Gwynne　was　rigidly　honest。　　No　one　ever　thought　of　disputing　an　account　whether　he　paid　it　or　not；　and　truth　demands　that　with　Mr。　Gwynne's　customers　the　latter　course　was　more　frequently　adopted。

It　was　at　this　point　that　Mr。　Gwynne　failed　of　success　as　a　business　man。　　He　could　buy　with　discrimination；　he　had　a　rare　gift　of　salesmanship；　but　as　a　collector；　in　the　words　of　Sam　Cheatley；　the　village　butcher；　himself　a　conspicuous　star　in　that　department　of　business　activity；　〃He　was　not　worth　a　tinker's　curse。〃　　His　accounts　were　sent　out　punctually　twice　a　year。　　His　wife　saw　to　that。　　At　times　of　desperation　when　pressure　from　the　wholesale　houses　became　urgent；　special　statements　were　sent　out　by　Mr。　Gwynne　himself。　　But　in　such　cases　the　apology　accompanying　these　statements　was　frequently　such　as　to　make　immediate　payment　seem　almost　an　insult。　　His　customers　held　him　in　high　esteem；　respected　his　intellectual　abilityfor　he　was　a　Trinity　manwere　fascinated　by　his　charm　of　manner；　loved　him　for　his　kindly　qualities；　but　would　not　pay　their　bills。

Many　years　ago；　having　failed　to　work　harmoniously　with　his　business　partner；　a　shrewd；　hard…headed；　Belfast　draperhard…　hearted　Mr。　Gwynne　considered　himMr。　Gwynne　had　decided　to　emigrate　to　Canada　with　the　remnant　of　a　small　fortune　which　was　found　to　be　just　sufficient　to　purchase　the　Mapleton　general　store；　and　with　it　a　small　farm　of　fifty　acres　on　the　corner　of　which　the　store　stood。　　It　was　the　farm　that　decided　the　investment；　for　Mr。　Gwynne　was　possessed　of　the　town　man's　infatuation　for　farm　life　and　of　the　optimistic　conviction　that　on　the　farm　a　living　at　least　for　himself　and　his　small　family　would　be　assured。

But　his　years　of　business　in　Mapleton　had　gradually　exhausted　his　fortune　and　accumulated　a　staggering　load　of　debt　which　was　the　occasion　of　moments　of　anxiety；　even　of　fear；　to　the　storekeeper。　There　was　always　the　thought　in　his　mind　that　against　his　indebtedness　on　the　credit　side　there　were　his　book　accounts　which　ran　up　into　big　figures。　　There　was　always；　if　the　worst　came　to　the　worst；　the　farm。　　But　if　Mr。　Gwynne　was　no　business　man　still　less　was　he　a　farmer。　　Tied　to　his　store　by　reason　of　his　inability　to　afford　a　competent　assistant；　the　farming　operations　were　carried　on　in　haphazard　fashion　by　neighbours　who　were　willing　to　liquidate　their　store　debts　with　odd　days'　work　at　times　most　convenient　to　themselves；　but　not　always　most　seasonable　for　the　crops。　　Hence　in　good　years；　none　too　good　with　such　haphazard　farming；　the　farm　was　called　upon　to　make　up　the　deficiency　in　the　financial　returns　of　the　store。　　In　bad　years　notes　had　to　be　renewed　with　formidable　accumulations　of　interest。　　But　such　was　Mr。　Gwynne's　invincible　optimism　that　he　met　every　new　embarrassment　with　some　new　project　giving　new　promise　of　success。

Meanwhile　during　these　painful　years　his　brave　little　wife　by　her　garden　and　her　poultry　materially　helped　to　keep　the　family　in　food　and　to　meet　in　some　degree　the　household　expenses。　　She　was　her　own　servant　except　that　the　Widow　Martin　came　to　her　aid　twice　a　week。　Her　skill　with　needle　and　sewing　machine　and　a　certain　creative　genius　which　she　possessed　enabled　her　to　evolve　from　her　husband's　old　clothes　new　clothes　for　her　boy；　and　from　her　own　clothing；　when　not　too　utterly　worn；　dresses　for　her　two　little　girls。　　And　throughout　these　years　with　all　their　toil　and　anxiety　she　met　each　day　with　a　spirit　undaunted　and　with　a　face　that　remained　serene　as　far　at　least　as　her　husband　and　her　children　ever　saw。　　Nor　did　she　allow　the　whole　weight　of　trials　to　taint　the　sweetness　of　her　spirit　or　to　dim　her　faith　in　God。　　Devoted　to　her　husband；　she　refused　to　allow　herself　to　criticise　his　business　ability　or　methods。　　The　failure；　which　she　could　not　but　admit；　was　not　his　fault；　it　was　the　fault　of　those　debtors　who　declined　to　pay　their　just　dues。

In　an　hour　of　desperation　she　ventured　to　point　out　to　her　husband　that　these　farmers　were　extending　their　holdings　and　buying　machinery　with　notes　that　bore　interest。　　〃And　besides；　Michael；〃　she　said；　〃Lawrence　must　go　to　High　School　next　year。　　He　will　pass　the　Entrance　examination　this　summer；　and　he　must　go。〃

〃He　shall　go；〃　said　her　husband。　　〃I　am　resolved　to　make　a　change　in　my　method　of　business。　　I　shall　go　after　these　men。　　They　shall　no　longer　use　my　money　for　their　business　and　for　their　families　while　my　business　and　my　family　suffer。　　You　need　not　look　that　way；　I　have　made　up　my　mind　and　I　shall　begin　at　once。〃

Unfortunately　the　season　was　not　suitable　for　collections。　　The　farmers　were　engrossed　with　their　harvesting；　and　after　that　with　the　fall　ploughing；　and　later　with　the　marketing　of　their　grain。　And　as　the　weeks　passed　Mr。　Gwynne's　indignant　resolve　that　his　customers　should　not　do　business　on　his　money　gradually　cooled　down。　　The　accounts　were　sent　out　as　usual；　and　with　the　usual　disappointing　result。

Meantime　Mr。　Gwynne's　attention　was　diverted　from　his　delinquent　debtors　by　an　enterprise　which　to　an　unusual　degree　awakened　his　sympathy　and　kindled　his　imagination。　　The　Reverend　Heber　Harding；　ever　since　his　unfortunate　encounter　with　the　travelling　evangelist；　was　haunted　with　the　uneasy　feeling　that　he　and　his　church　were　not　completely　fulfilling　their　functions　in　the　community　and　justifying　their　existence。　　The　impression　had　been　the　more　painfully　deepened　in　him　by　the　sudden　eruption　of　a　spirit　of　recklessness　and　a　certain　tendency　to　general　lawlessness　in　some　of　the　young　men　of　the　village。　　As　a　result　of　a　conference　with　the　leading　men　of　his　congregation；　he　had　decided　to　organise　a　young　men's　club。　　The　business　of　setting　this　club　in　active　operation　was　handed　over　to　Mr。　Gwynne；　than　whom　no　one　in　the　village　was　better　fitted　for　the　work。　　The　project　appealed　to　Mr。　Gwynne's　imagination。　　A　room　was　secured　in　the　disused　Orange　Hall。　　Subscriptions　were　received　to　make　purchase　of　apparatus　and　equipment　necessary　for　games　of　various　sorts。　　With　vivid　remembrance　of　his　college　days；　Mr。　Gwynne　saw　to　it　that　as　part　of　the　equipment　a　place　should　be　found　for　a　number　of　sets　of　boxing　gloves。

There　were　those　who　were　not　too　sure　of　the　uplifting　influence　of　the　boxing　gloves。　　But　after　Mr。　Gwynne　had　given　an　exhibition　of　the　superior　advantages　of　science　over　brute　force　in　a　bout　with　Mack　Morrison　before　a　crowded　hall；　whatever　doubt　might　exist　as　to　the　ethical　value　of　the　boxing　gloves；　there　was　no　doubt　at　all　as　to　their　value　as　an　attractive　force　in　the　building　up　of　the　membership　of　the　Young　Men's　Club。　　The　boxing　class　became　immensely　popular；　and　being　conducted　under　Mr。　Gwynne's　most　rigid　supervision；　it　gradually　came　to　exert　a　most　salutary　influence　upon　its　members。　　They　learned；　for　one　thing；　to　take　hard　knocks　without　losing　their　tempers。

In　the　boxing　class　thus　established；　none　showed　a　greater　eagerness　to　learn　than　did　Larry。　　Every　moment　of　his　father's　spare　time　he　utilised　to　add　to　his　knowledge　of　the　various　feints　and　guards　and　cuts　and　punches　and　hooks　that　appeared　necessary　to　a　scientific　acquaintance　with　the　manly　art。　　He　developed　an　amazing　capacity　to　accept　punishment。　　Indeed；　he　appeared　almost　to　welcome　rough　handling；　especially　from　the　young　men　and　boys　bigger　than　himself。　　Light　in　weight　and　not　very　muscular；　he　was　wiry　and　quick　in　eye　and　in　action；　and　under　his　father's　teaching　he　learned　how　to　〃make　his　heels　save　his　head。〃　　He　was　always　ready　for　a　go　with　any　one　who　might　offer；　and　when　all　others　had　wearied　of　the　sport　Larry　would　put　in　an　extra　half　hour　with　the　punching　bag。　　With　one　boy　only　he　refused　to　spar。　　No　persuasion；　no　taunts；　no　challenge　could　entice　him　to　put　on　the　gloves　with　Mop　Cheatley。　　He　could　never　look　steadily　at　Mop　for　any　length　of　time　without　seeing　again　on　his　face　the　sneering　grin　and　hearing　again　the　terrible　words　spoken　two　years　ago　in　the　cedar　woods　behind　the　mill　pond：　〃You're　a　coward　and　your　mother's　a　coward　before　you。〃　　He　refused　to　spar　with　Mop　for　he　knew　that　once　face　to　face　with　him　he　could　not　spar；　he　must　fight。　　But　circumstances　made　the　contest　inevitable。　　In　the　working　out　of　a　tournament；　it　chanced　that　Mop　was　drawn　to　face　Larry；　and　although　the　disparity　both　in　age　and　weight　seemed　to　handicap　the　smaller　boy　to　an　excessive　degree；　Larry's　friends　who　were　arranging　the　schedule；　among　them　Mack　Morrison　with　big　Ben　Hopper　and　Joe　Gagneau　as　chorus；　and　who　knew　something　of　Larry's　skill　with　his　hands　and　speed　on　his　feet；　were　not　unwilling　to　allow　the　draw　to　stand。

The　days　preceding　the　tournament　were　days　of　misery　for　Larry。　The　decision　in　the　contest　would　of　course　be　on　points　and　he　knew　that　he　could　outpoint　without　much　difficulty　his　antagonist　who　was　clumsy　and　slow。　　For　the　decision　Larry　cared　nothing　at　all。　　At　the　most　he　had　little　to　lose　for　it　would　be　but　small　disgrace　to　be　beaten　by　a　boy　so　much　bigger。　　The　cause　of　his　distress　was　something　quite　other　than　this。　　He　knew　that　from　the　first　moment　of　the　bout　he　would　be　fig