"You have rendered me a service," he said. "Possibly I have to thank you, also, for the statements which have been made in the papers concerning me?"
"Possibly," said Mr. Poynter.
"Nay," said Aaron, "you said just now that it is best to speak quite plainly, have I, or have I not, to thank you for the unfavorable publicity?"
"I have never shrunk from the truth," replied Mr. Poynter with a lofty air, "nor from a duty, however distressing the truth or the duty might be. I became possessed of certain information, and I considered it my duty, in the interests of truth, not to withhold it from the public ear."
"I thank you. Perhaps you will now come straight to the business which brings you here."
"It is very simple, and will put money into your pocket, of which, it seems to me, you stand in need."
"I do stand in need of money."
"Then the matter can be arranged. Some little while since you transferred your contracts to other firms, ignoring me entirely in the transaction."
"For which," said Aaron, "I had good reasons, and for which you have taken your revenge."
"God-fearing men," said Mr. Poynter, "do not seek revenge, but justice. To continue. The firm to which you transferred the most important of these contracts happen, at the present time, to need some assistance, and hearing of it I offer what they need. But it appears that you have hampered them, and that in the deed of transference you expressly stipulated that no part of the contracts shall be executed by me unless I bind myself to a scale of wages and hours which you have tabulated."