"Let me ask you one
thing," he said. "Does Dr. Vince know about this?"
"I went to Dr. Vince about it first," replied Samuel. "And he wouldn't
do anything about it. He said that if I came to you, I must make it
clear that he did not approve of it. I have come of my own free will,
sir."
There was another pause. "You are going to be angry with me!" cried
Samuel, again.
"No," said the other, "I will not be angry--because you are nothing
but a child, and you don't know what you are doing."
"Oh!" said Samuel.
"You are very much in need of a little knowledge of life," added the
other.
"But, Mr. Wygant," exclaimed the boy, "the things I have said are
true!"
"They are true--after a fashion," was the reply.
"And they are very wrong things!"
"They seem so to you. That is because you know so little about such
matters."
"You are corrupting the government of your country, Mr. Wygant!"
"The government of my country, as you call it, consisting of a number
of blackmailing politicians, who exist to prey upon the business I
represent."
There was a pause. "You see, young man," said Mr. Wygant, "I have many
responsibilities upon my shoulders--many interests looking to me for
protection. And it is as if I were surrounded by a pack of wolves."
"But meantime," cried Samuel, "what is becoming of free government?"
"I do not know," the other replied.
Pages:
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198