and we were no more troubled with him and his brimstone angels."

"What a shame that men will take the livery of heaven in which to serve
the evil one," said Viola LeMonde. "Hypocrisy is like a counterfeit
coin: it is not only worthless in itself, but it also makes men suspect
the genuine money."

"Poor Richard says, 'Honesty is the best policy,' and that holds good
in preaching as in other things," remarked Larkin.

Jasper Very added: "Men who are dishonest cheat themselves. They narrow
their souls. They grasp after a substance and find a shadow. A sure
Nemesis follows the present gain. The great poet says: 'Who steals my
purse steals trash.'"

"Sam Wiles is a case in point," said Judge LeMonde. "He surely is
cheating himself. But what gave him the disposition he possesses?
Heredity and environment; and not one man in a thousand will rise out
of these. The fellow has some good in him; but it is strangled by his
bent and surroundings, like good seed choked by thorns. What say you,
Mr. Larkin?"

"There is only one hope for him, that is religion, which he seems to
despise and reject. His superior gifts, making him a leader of the
moonshine gang, constitute him a greater menace to law-abiding people.
The Bengal tiger kills more prey than the common wild-cat which
sometimes roams these surrounding woods. I am told that Wiles is the
ring leader in many reckless acts, and will stop at nothing to gain his
ends. Zibe Turner, called the monster dwarf, is his right-hand man, who
will pick his chestnuts from the fire, though he burn his impish
fingers in so doing."

"You remember, papa," said Viola, "when we and a few friends had that
picnic two weeks ago on 'Silver Knob' we passed by the cabin where Sam
Wiles lives? I felt sad to see his poor mother in her faded and torn
calico dress in the little front yard. She was stirring some food in an
iron kettle which was over a fire of logs. Her eyes had such a dull,
discouraged look in them. The children were dirty and half dressed, and
how the dogs barked as we came near! The lot of the 'poor whites' in
Kentucky is indeed unfortunate. Even the slaves look down upon them.

"When I saw the Wiles family and other families like them in their low
condition I said in my heart: 'Cannot something be done for the comfort
and uplift of these people?' Gentlemen, I put the question to you this
afternoon."

After a silence of some duration Jasper Very spoke:

"I am sure something ought