"You must leave it to me!"
"But why should you make all the sacrifices?" replied Sophie. "If it's
right for you, isn't it right for me?"
"But, Sophie!" wailed Mrs. Stedman. "If you lost this place we should
all starve!"
And again they stared at each other with terror in their eyes.
"Sophie," said Samuel, "I forbid you to have anything to do with it!"
But in his heart he knew that he might as well not have said this. And
Mrs. Stedman knew it, too, and turned white with fear.
The boy ate a few hurried mouthfuls, and then went off to his work at
the church. But he did not go with the old joy in his soul. Before
this it had been the work of the Lord that he had been doing; but now
he was only serving the Wygants--and the Hickmans--apparently one
always served them, no matter where or how he worked in this world.
"You are late," said old Mr. Jacobs, the sexton, when he arrived.
"Yes, sir," said Samuel.
"Dr. Vince left word that he wanted to see you as soon as you came."
The boy's heart gave a leap. Had the doctor by any chance repented?
"Where is he?" he asked.
"In the vestry room," said the other; and the boy went there.
The instant he entered, Dr. Vince sprang to his feet. "Samuel," he
cried vehemently, "this thing has got to stop!"
"What thing, Dr. Vince?"
"Your conduct is beyond endurance, boy--you are driving me to
distraction!"
"What have I done now, sir?"
"My brother-in-law has just been here, making a terrible disturbance.
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