What he had heard him say about the healthy or rather saving influences of pure wine had taken a strong hold of his thoughts, and he had often wished for an opportunity to talk with him about it.

On this evening he found that opportunity.

Soon after his arrival at the house of Mr.Birtwell he saw Mr.Elliott in one of the parlors, and made his way into the little group which had already gathered around the affable clergyman.

Joining in the conversation, which was upon some topic of the day, Mr.Ridley, who talked well, was not long in awakening that interest in the mind of Mr.Elliott which one cultivated and intelligent person naturally feels for another; and in a little while, they had the conversation pretty much to themselves.

It touched this theme and that, and finally drifted in a direction which enabled Mr.
Ridley to refer to what he had heard Mr.Elliott say about the healthy effect of pure wine on the taste of men whose appetites had become morbid, and to ask him if he had any good ground for his belief.
"I do not know that I can bring any proof of my theory," returned Mr.
Elliott, "but I hold to it on the ground of an eternal fitness of things.