Wygant rose to his feet. "This is quite too much," he
said. "I must ask you to leave my house."
"But, sir!" cried Samuel.
"Not another word!" exclaimed the other. "Please leave the house!"
And so the conversation came to an end.
CHAPTER XXIV
Samuel had had nothing to eat since morning, but he did not feel
hungry. He was faint from grief and despair. To encounter a man of the
world like Mr. Wygant, cold and merciless and masterful--that was a
terrible ordeal for him. The man seemed to him like some great
fortress of evil; and what could he do, save to gaze at it in impotent
rage?
He went home, and Sophie met him at the door. "I thought you wanted an
early supper, Samuel," said she.
"Why?" he asked dully.
"You had something to do at the church tonight!"
"Yes," he recollected, "there's to be a vestry meeting, and I have to
light up. But I'm tired of the church work."
"Tired of the church work!" gasped the child. "Yes," he said. And then
to the amazed and terrified family, he told the story of his day's
experiences.
Sophie listened, thrilling with excitement. "And you went to see Mr.
Wygant!" she cried in awe. "Oh, Samuel, how brave of you!"
"He ordered me out of his house," said the boy bitterly. "And Dr.
Vince has gone back on me--I have no one at all to help."
Sophie came to him and flung her arms about him. "You have us,
Samuel!" she exclaimed.
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