"
"Yes, Samuel," said the clergyman. "It is terrible, I know--"
"We must labor with him!" exclaimed Samuel. "He must not be allowed to
go on like that!"
"Unfortunately," said Dr. Vince hastily, "it wouldn't do for me to try
it. You see, the Lockmans have always been Presbyterians, and so
Bertie is under Dr. Handy's care."
"But is Dr. Handy doing anything about it?" persisted the other.
"I really don't know, Samuel."
"Because if he isn't, we ought to, Dr. Vince! Something must be done."
"My boy," said the doctor, "perhaps it wouldn't be easy for you to
understand it. But there is a feeling--would it be quite good taste
for me to try to take away a very rich parishioner from another
church?"
"But what have his riches to do with it?" asked the boy.
"Unfortunately, Samuel, it costs money to build churches; and most
clergymen are dependent upon their salaries, you know."
The good doctor was trying to make a jest of it; but Samuel was in
deadly earnest. "I hope," he said, "that you are not dependent upon
the money of anyone like Master Albert."
"Um--no," said the doctor quickly.
"Understand me, please," went on the other. "It's not simply that
Master Albert is wrecking his own life. I suppose that's his right, if
he wants to. But it's what he can do to other people! It's his money,
Dr. Vince! Just think of it, he has seven hundred thousand dollars a
year! And he never earned a cent of it; and he doesn't know what to do
with it! Doctor, you KNOW that isn't right!"
"No," said the clergyman, "it's very wrong indeed.
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