The Root of Evil

ay of his subsequent life the most trivial details of that hour stood out in his memory with peculiar and terrible vividness. From every shadow he saw Nan's fa

st and in sheer desperation felt his way down the last flight of stairs. The fiercer the effort he made to shut out the picture, the more vivid it became until he found himself sh

lear the brain of its horrible fancy. He paused in the lower hall and watched for

an arm around his neck and the other hand gently smoothing his soft gray hair.

ut, Papa dear-what

, Baby-I've just refused a fortune

you ref

believe it was c

't want it. I'd

on the fair young face, dre

ou, de

f cours

head closer still and presse

hall not mind if I'm poor," she went on

e of endless wonder to me, this miracle of growth-to watch this child-and see myself, a big brute of a man-growing, growing, slowly but su

smiling into Stuart's

, Jim-pleas

d and through the years of bitter struggle which followed,

able, but now that it's done I'm afraid I may have made a tra

eatened to ruin

has just offered to b

ou ref

change my mind. I can call him back now and apo

ou're right in the p

this white hair would make me, but I feel it. Perhaps I am out-of-date. Your eyes are young, boy; your soul

rt into a seat and r

you say so-at least I think I would, for I'm afraid of myself." He paused, and a look of pa

u couldn't have a more sympatheti

for the Trust-its economy, its efficiency, its po

retic

n organizing friend, that these enormous profits for the few must be paid out of the poverty of the many-against whom the strong and cunning are thus combining-a simple a

ill kill when put to the test. The law which holds burglary constructive murder is founded on an elemental truth. The man who puts on a mask, arms himself w

it quite so strong

ease a dividend if he knew that act would result in the death of its employees from weakness and hunger? Not for a minute. He hesitates only at a

t lau

ile of gold, stolen or honestly earned. The biggest thing on this earth is a man. Our nation is not rich by reason of its houses and lands, its gold or silver or copper or iron-but because of its men. I believe in i

hese men and retire, will you neces

and despise a merchant? Because a soldier's business is to die for his country, and a merchant's habit is to lie for profit. Isn't old Ruskin right? Wh

ned as if in a spell. He realized that his old friend was not really asking advice, but

e took a tone of

modern craze for money, money, money, at all hazards, by fair or foul means! In every walk of life I find this cancer eating the heart out of men. I must fight it! I must! Good food, decent clothes, a home

man's hand was extended

motion, "how much I owe to you in my own lif

nt gray e

oing to make this fight for principle because I know I'm right, and yet somehow when I look into the face of my baby I'm a c

rt's lips. "I've had to face a crisis like this recently. I was b

s a poor soldier to-night myself until the little

s should do any

ome in a mood of generosity-his of

must have

n he told me that he was

art made a supreme effort to

the honour of knowing, and he had the lying au

peak and his tong

to apologize. Well, you've helped me to-night, boy, more than I can tell you. It

wer the lights, and St

d-ni

ntered, and threw himself across the bed without undressing. It was one

es, gazing at the vision which would not vanish-the face of the w