Owen Oliver

“ But what I've got to face is that, if I go home with that money in my pocket, and see those bills, and Lou looking washed out, holding by things as she crawls about to get my tea—the child crying, perhaps—I should do it—I should do it. There's only one way to keep my hands off that money. I mustn't take it home. I'll take it to the governor. That ought to put me a step up the saint's ladder! What blessed gup those poet chaps write! Honesty is just 'gup,' a fake kept up by those who have, to frighten off those who haven't from taking their fair share ... ”

“ Felix said, "I suppose you are in debt, eh?"
"Only a few pounds, sir, and the doctor's bill when it comes. We go without everything we can. I kept off the temptation, sir, anyway. It seems that you don't give a man credit for making a—a Saint Augustine's Ladder of it. Before you think over firing me——"
Mr. Felix held up his hand.
"Tut tut!" he said. "I wasn't going to think about that. My trouble is this St. Augustine's Ladder business. ... You'd better have a glass of whisky, Stokes, and a biscuit with it. The ladder business is upsetting, confoundedly upsetting. ”

“ Stokes explained. "You see, I hadn't the key of the safe."
He took out the pocket-book.
"Man alive," Mr. Felix cried, "why couldn't you keep it till the morning? "
"It might have looked as if I was running off with it," Stokes said.
"What?" The old man stared at him. "Run off with twenty-seven pounds? Why, hundreds pass through your hands in cash, apart from cheques! Why should you be suspected of wishing to retain this particular amount?"
"Well," Stokes said, "I—of course I should have paid it in to-morrow morning, but—suppose anything happened to me. ”

“ He explained that the saintly gentleman invented a great stunt with a ladder. You made it out of your vices. I've got the material all right. The idea is to construct the rungs out of them. Tread 'em underfoot. Metaphorical, see? 'Men may rise on stepping-stones, Of their dead selves to better things.' Something like that it goes. The old man spluttered and grunted over it, so I can't swear to the exact words of the tosh; but I'm going to see if I can't go up a peg on that twenty-five pounds."
"Twenty-seven pounds thirteen and fourpence," Stokes corrected. ”

“ A washer, a wringer, a waterproof, an umbrella, a warm coat—all things that Lou wanted—tempted him in turn. The windows were full of things that Lou needed, and that he couldn't buy for her. Even the savings for her new dress and his new suit had been spent during her illness. Several times he paused in front of a shop. Once he put a foot on the doorstep. "Real eiderdown, five feet by five feet, two pounds thirteen shillings and sixpence. Extraordinary bargain." Lou was always cold. ”

“ Felix's flat to save two penny 'bus fares, which he could fairly charge to the office, and spend on acid drops for Lou. They eased her cough.
Out in the street he had to argue the matter over again. Every shop window thrust temptation before his eyes. "Fine fruity invalid port." "The 'Doctor' underwear for ladies. Saves more lives than physic." ”

“ The longest-living author of this work died in 1933, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 90 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works. ”