“There, there, sir!” interposed the woman, as she made haste and handed him three coppers; “I have plenty for both of us, and wish for your sake it was a hundred times as much. Take it, sir,” she insisted, while Hector yet hesitated and fumbled; “you won’t refuse such a small service from another of God’s creatures! I mean it well.”
But the conductor, apparently affected with the same generosity, pushed back the woman’s hand, saying, “No, no, ma’am, thank you! The gentleman’ll pay me another day.”
Hector pulled out an old silver watch, and offered it.
“I cannot be so sure about that,” he said. “Better take this: it’s of little use to me now.”
“I’ll be damned if I do!” cried the conductor fiercely, and down he jumped and stood ready to help Hector from the omnibus.
But his kindness was more than Hector could stand; he walked away, unable to thank him.
“I wonder now,” muttered the conductor to