"Now, Cyrus, just as man to man, whose bill do you think it is?"
Cyrus worked his lips, and looked away. He stood firm on his legs, but inwardly he staggered beneath the blow. It was a whole dollar, and gone—gone forever, before he could spend it! He might never have another. Full grown men have been known to collapse under sudden loss of fortune. He dared not look at Ruth. It might unnerve him for the sacrifice. With tightened lips and blinking eyes he reached up over the counter and silently pushed the bill away, as far toward the new owner as his short arm could do it.
"Thank you, Cyrus," said Uncle Hector. "I knew I was dealing with a man who would do the right thing when he saw it. And now, let's have some candy together and celebrate the occasion. What'll you have, Ruth?" He moved his hand, at a guess, toward the glass jar that held the pink candy with the white stripes.
She nodded. "Yes, I like that best."
He placed a stick of it in the lady's hand.
"And you, Cyrus? The same, I suppose?"
"No, sir. I'll have a cocoanut cake."
Uncle Hector replaced the jar; then, as he laid the cocoanut cake in the extended hand:
"But you wanted the candy a minute ago; a whole dollar's worth."
"That's when I was treatin' Ruth. I thought it would please her to think I liked what she liked."