What
would the people at home say--what would his brothers think when he
went to pay them a visit, and perhaps to buy the old place?
But he put these thoughts away from him. He must not think of such
things--it was selfish and ignoble. He must think of the good that he
would be able to do with all the money. He might help the poor at
last. He and Miss Gladys would devote their lives to this. Perhaps
some day he might even own the mill where the children worked, and he
would be able to send them all to school! And he would be a member of
the Lockman family, in a way--he might even have some influence over
Master Albert! And Ethel and Dr. Vince--how happy they would be when
they heard of his good fortune!
In the end his thoughts left all these things, and came back to Miss
Gladys. After all, what counted but that? She loved him! She was his!
And like a swiftly spreading fire there came over him the memory of
what he had done to her; he walked on, trembling with wonder and fear.
It was a kind of madness in his blood. It had taken possession of his
whole being--he would never again be the same! He stretched out his
arms as he walked down the street, because his emotions were greater
than he could bear.
Then suddenly, in the midst of the turmoil, a sight met his eyes which
brought him back to the world. Approaching him, about to pass him, was
an old man with a gray beard, stooping as he walked and carrying a
peddler's basket.
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