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 ability--for he was a Trinity man--were 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 draper--hard-hearted Mr.Gwynne considered him--Mr.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.