To Him That Hath

combined to bring this event to pass. First, Sam was beyond the age of compulsory attendance at the Public School, the School Register recor

htest moment merely academic achievements. One unpleasant effect which this fact had upon Sam's moral quality was that it tended to make him a bully. He was physically t

in his class, resented and resisted the attempts of constituted authority to enforce discipline in his own case, with the result t

e to acknowledge," went on the letter, "that the defect may be in myself as much as in the boy, but having failed in winning him to obedience and truth-telling, I feel that while I remain master of the school I must decline to allow the influence of thi

forthwith expelled, to his own unmitigated relief but to his father's red and raging indignation at what he termed the "(h)ignorant persecut

office of the mills, where he himself was employed. There he introduced

n looked t

s he bee

E's just le

h Sc

th Sr.'s tone indicated no exalt

hool! What

grade, Samuel? Come, s

ack gaily decked in scarlet sash and blue overalls, who was the central figure upon a flaming calendar tacked up behind

he boss is (h)askin',"

returning to the comm

es of the boss was "borin' 'oles" through Sam and the voice pierced like a "b

. "Fourth grade it was," he

ild ever since 'is mother stopped suckin' 'im," expl

appraised the bo

ing the keen glance, "but 'e's never been (h)able t

d the boy, this time scanning critically his

on the bottle. And you know, we 'ave real doctors in (H)England, sir. 'Watch 'is brain,' sez 'e, and, my word, the care 'is ma 'as took of t

he left school?"

n' 'e'd say to 'is ma, 'My brain's a-whirlin', ma', just like that, and 'is ma would 'ave to pull 'is book away, just drag it away, you might say. Oh, 'e's 'ad a 'ard time, 'as Samuel." At this point the boss received a distinct shock,

ed into alert attention.

Again the eye closed in a slow and solemn wink. "And we thought,

sy job

ething in the

say, would not let h

Samuel? You see, these 'ere schools ain't a bit like the schools at 'ome, sir. They're so confusing

ob for your son, eh?"

gay and daring lumber-jack. Samuel recalled himself with visible effort. "Why

said Sam

began a sputter

d, holding up his hand. "Sam, you come and see

d office door the sound of Mr. Wigglesworth's voice lifted in vi

in and incidentally its physical integument of Samuel Wigglesworth. To the smaller boys the absence of Sam brought unbo

ed face furnished acute satisfaction. It fell naturally enough that little Steve Wickes, the timid, shrinking, humpbacked son of the dead soldier, Stephen Wickes, afforded Sam many opportunities of rare pleasure. It was Sam that coined and, with the aid of his sycophantic following never wanting to a bully, fastened to the child the nickname of "Humpy Wicksy," working thereby writhing agony in the lad's highly sensitive soul. But Sam did not stay his hand at the infliction of merely mental anguish. It was one of his favorite forms of sport to seize the child by the collar and breeches and, swingi

athful comments upon his "dommed waggin' tongue," he welcomed with quite unusual eagerness the opportunity for indulging

y," he roare

Steve scurried down a lan

to come when you're called," he shouted, catching the terrifi

," shrieked the boy, squirming, scrat

legs and turning him over on his stomach, "we'll make a wheelbarrow of you. Gee up,

his ankles, Annette Perrotte, stepping smartly along the street on her way from the box factory, came past the entrance

aid. "There's that big lout of a Wigglesw

ind or ither, a doot," sai

or child, Steve Wickes." Like a wrathful fury she dashed in upon Sam and his company of tor

f Steve and dashed him head on against the lane fence. Sheer surprise held Sam silent for a few seconds, but as he

owed. "I'm killed,

er arms and seeking to quiet his sobbing. But

see if he's hurt," she said i

ng man. "Here, you young bull, wait till I see wha

g her. Ouw! Ouw! I'm killed, and I'm just glad I am, for she'll be

A doot," said Mack

less my living lights, if it bean't Samuel. Who's been a beatin' of you, Sammy?" His eye swept the

h wrang wi' the lad-a wee scratch on the

Wigglesworth. "Was it you?" he a

on Annette who, now that Sam's bellowing had much abated with the ap

esworth. "You? My Samue

gue a bit," said Mack. "Min

Wigglesworth's voice

n' mind what ye say aboot her

u give me (h)any of your (h)imperance an' I'll knock y're bloomin' block (h)off, I will." And Mr. Wig

' gie him a bit wash, he's needin' it," said Mack, smiling

otoring by the lane mouth, turned hi

way through the considerable crowd that had

wrath, "they'll find (h)out that, wotsomever they do to a kid, w'en they come (h)up agin Joe Wigglesworth

ietly, catching his arm. "Were you beating up

tin' up the lad,"

girl, turning a defian

Scot! Blest if

d the girl, her fac

wn up, haven't you?

brute was abusi

ttle Stev

the fence. He hit his head and

nough, too, I fancy

y rights, an' if there's a justice in this Gawd forsaken country I'll 'ave protecti

t all the justice you want. Perhaps

o mind for an investigation in

injured, I guess. Meantime, ca

heeks matching the crimson ribbon at her throat. "I

th me, sir," said the

h, well, then-Good-bye, Annette, for the present." He hel

, sir," sa

all the fun and the fights we had in the old days. Not muc

ing a swift glance into Captain Jac

n

so." Her head

yo

n't sa

again, Annette, I vow. Good-bye." Capt

he ran up against yo

nnette has grown,

said Jack, rather brusq

box factory, I

," said Jack carel

me faded away with C

riend of yours, Annette," said M

. I was a kid then." Her manner was abstracted and her eyes were far a

r sort, A doot,"

rom her abstraction. "What do you mean, 'my s

look at ye, f

hough," replied Anne

d!" repeated Ma

burning red on her cheeks and a d

r road," she said, poin

, wheeling on his heel, "an' y

at him Annette t

, stooping and kissing the

k, shy look up into her face, "

urriedly. "I mea

with an adoring look in his deep e

gain she stooped swiftly and

s. A little smile curved her lips. "He did look at me anyway," she whispered to the face that looked out at her, "he did, he did," she repeated. Then swiftly she cov