considerable scale we should do more than the state will be able to
carry out for centuries to come."

"Put what into practice?"

"The principle that no man shall let a friend or a neighbor suffer
without relief when he can relieve him."

"Thor, you should have been God."

"I don't know anything about God, father. But if I were to create a God,
I should make that his first commandment."

Masterman squared himself in front of his son. "So that's behind this
scheme of yours for taking over Fay's lease. You're trying to trick me
into doing what you know I won't do of my own accord. What could _you_
do with the lease but make a present of it to old Fay? Politics be
hanged! Come, now. Be frank with me."

Thor threw back his head. "I can't be wholly frank with you, father; but
I'll be as frank as I can. I do want to help the poor old chap; you'd be
sorry for him if you'd been seeing him as I have; but that was only one
of my motives. Leaving politics out of the question, I have others. But
I don't want to speak of them--yet. Probably I shall never need to speak
of them at all."

Thor was willing that his father should say, "It's the girl!" but he
contented himself with the curt statement: "I'm sorry, Thor; but you
can't have the lease. I'm going to sell the place."

"But, father," the young man cried, "what's to become of Fay?"

"Isn't that what you asked me just now about Len Willoughby? Who do you
think I am, Thor? Am I in this world to carry every lame dog on my
back?"

"It isn't a question of every lame dog, but of an old tenant and an old
friend."

"Toward whom I have what you're pleased to call a moral responsibility.
Is that it?"

"That's it, father--put mildly."

"Well, I don't admit your moral responsibility; and, what's more, I'm
not going to bear it. Do you understand?"

Thor felt himself growing white, with the whiteness that attended one of
his surging waves of wrath. He clenched his fists. He drew away. But he
couldn't keep himself from saying, quietly, with a voice that shook
because of his very effort to keep it firm: "All right, father. If you
don't bear it, I will."

He was moving toward the door when Archie called after him, "Thor, for
God's sake, don't be a _fool_!"

He answered from the threshold, over his shoulder, "It's no use asking
me not to do as I've said, father, because I can't help it." He was in
the hall when he added, "And if I could, I shouldn't try."

CHAPTER XI