"This is too much! You are exceeding all patience!"
"Doctor!" exclaimed the boy in anguish.
"It seems to me," the doctor continued, "that you owe it to me to
consider more carefully. You have been treated very kindly here--you
have been favored in more ways than one."
"But what has that to do with it?" cried the other wildly.
"It is necessary that you should remember your place. It is certainly
not becoming for you, a mere boy, and filling a subordinate position,
to come to me with gossip concerning the vestry of my church."
"A subordinate position!" echoed Samuel dazed. "But what has my
position to do with it?"
"It has a great deal to do with it, Samuel."
The boy was staring at him. "You don't understand me!" he cried. "I am
not doing this for myself! I am not setting myself up! I am thinking
of the saving of the church!"
"What do you mean--saving the church?"
"Why, doctor--just see! I went to reform a man; and he sneered at me.
He would not have anything to do with the church, because such wicked
men as Mr. Hickman were in it. He said it was their money that saved
them from exposure--he said--"
"What has Mr. Hickman done?" demanded the other quickly.
"He bribed the city council, sir! He bribed it to beat the water
bill."
Dr. Vince got up from his chair and began to pace the floor nervously.
"Tell me, doctor!" cried Samuel.
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