"Show him in!" replied the philanthropist.
A poorly dressed man followed the maid into the room.
Mr. Browning frowned. He had thought it might be some influential member of his party.
"What do you want?" he asked, roughly.
The poor man stood humbly before him, nervously pressing the hat between his hands.
"I am one of your tenants, Mr. Browning. I am behindhand with my rent, owing to sickness in the family, and I have been ordered out."
"And very properly, too!" said Browning. "You can't expect me to let you stay gratis."
"But sir, you have the reputation of being a philanthropist. It hardly seems the character——"
"I do not call myself a philanthropist—others call me so—and perhaps they are right. I help the poor to the extent of my means, but even a philanthropist expects his honest dues."
"Then you can do nothing for me, sir?"