“But, Gregory, it makes no difference ... the argument is settled, let platform orators like Bryan tilt at windmills all they may.”

“The hell it doesn’t make a difference! if you professors are worth your salt, you won’t let a Chautauqua man get by with such bunco.”

* * * * *

The writing of my fairy drama progressed amain.

I mailed a copy of it to Penton Baxter, who said that it had genuine merit.  Was not great, but showed great promise.

Henry Belton, from London, wrote me that it was beautiful and fine, but too eccentric for production in even the eccentric theatre.

And Belton kept deluging me with Single Tax pamphlets.  And I wrote him hot letters in reply, villifying the Single Tax theory and upholding revolutionary Socialism.  And he grew angry with me, and informed me that he had meditated keeping me in his patronage longer, but I was so obdurate that he would end my remittance with the six months ... as, in fact, was all that was originally promised me.

I replied that it made no difference ... that I would be always grateful to him.  His letters stopped.  The money stopped.  But I went on living at the Y.M.C.A., charging up rent ... said that I was nearing the end of my rope again, glad because I had shown to myself that I was capable of sustained creative effort.

* * * * *

Many well-known men came to Laurel for lectures to the students.

Lyman Abbott appeared.

“The ancient bell-wether of the Standard Oil,” Travers irreverently dubbed him.

The College Y.M.C.A. accorded him a reception.  I was one of those invited to meet him.

After he had delivered a brief talk on God and The Soul, questions were invited—­meant only to be politely put, that the speaker might shine.  But my question was not put for the sake of social amenity ... though I’ll admit, just a little for the sake of showing off.

“Dr. Abbott,” I asked, “it is quite possible that there are other worlds in the sky—­that, also, the rest of the planets either are or will be, homes for souls, for living beings equal to or higher than our present human grade of development?”

“Yes, yes, that is quite probable.”

“Well, then, God, to prove a just God, would have to send his Son to be crucified a million times—­once for each world ... for, if He did not, then the souls on these worlds would either be damned without a chance for salvation, or, if God made an exception in their case, that would be an unfair deal—­for us to suffer from a fault other worlds are free of.”

Dr. Abbott hemmed and hawed.

“It is not yet proven that there are other inhabited worlds.  I an only dealing with questions of practical theology,” he answered, with some heat and an attempt to be sarcastic.

The members of the Y.M.C.A. were indignant at me for putting a maladroit question.