Again there was no reply.
“And yet, I see the truth, and I have to speak
it! And how can I get to a ‘place’
where I may?”
“Really,” said Mr. Wygant coldly, “you
will have to solve that problem for yourself.”
“Apparently, I should have to take part in the
scramble for money—if it’s only money
that counts.”
“Young man,” said the other, “I
feel sorry for you—you will get some hard
knocks from the world before you get through.
You will have to learn to take life as you find it.
Perhaps many of us would make it different, if we
could have our way. But you will find that life
is a hard battle. It is a struggle for existence,
and the people who survive are the ones who are best
fitted—”
And suddenly Samuel raised his hand. “I
thank you, Mr. Wygant,” he said gravely, “but
I have been all through that part of it before.”
“What do you mean?” asked the other.
“I couldn’t explain,” said he.
“You wouldn’t understand me. I see
that you are another of the followers of Herbert Spencer.
And that’s all right—only why
do you belong to the church? Why do you pretend
to follow Jesus—–”
And suddenly Mr. Wygant rose to his feet. “This
is quite too much,” he said. “I must
ask you to leave my house.”
“But, sir!” cried Samuel.
“Not another word!” exclaimed the other.
“Please leave the house!”
And so the conversation came to an end.
Samuel had had nothing to eat since morning, but he
did not feel hungry. He was faint from grief
and despair. To encounter a man of the world
like Mr. Wygant, cold and merciless and masterful—that
was a terrible ordeal for him. The man seemed
to him like some great fortress of evil; and what
could he do, save to gaze at it in impotent rage?
He went home, and Sophie met him at the door.
“I thought you wanted an early supper, Samuel,”
said she.
“Why?” he asked dully.
“You had something to do at the church tonight!”
“Yes,” he recollected, “there’s
to be a vestry meeting, and I have to light up.
But I’m tired of the church work.”
“Tired of the church work!” gasped the
child. “Yes,” he said. And then
to the amazed and terrified family, he told the story
of his day’s experiences.
Sophie listened, thrilling with excitement. “And
you went to see Mr. Wygant!” she cried in awe.
“Oh, Samuel, how brave of you!”
“He ordered me out of his house,” said
the boy bitterly. “And Dr. Vince has gone
back on me—I have no one at all to help.”
Sophie came to him and flung her arms about him.
“You have us, Samuel!” she exclaimed.
“We will stand by you—won’t
we mother?”
“Yes,” said Mrs. Stedman—“but
what can poor people like us do?”
“And then you have Miss Gladys!” cried
Sophie after a moment.
