Mrs. Trupp reported to her husband that Mr. Pigott had become almost blasphemous over Alf.
"I know," grunted the Doctor. "He's not fair to the boy. Alf's stunted; of course he's stunted. He's grown up all wrong. The wonder is he's grown up at all. He's a standing witness to the power of Nature to make the most of a bad job."
It was next day that Mrs. Caspar came round, as appointed, to see the Doctor, who was much more to her than a physician.
Mr. Trupp had now come to a decision as to the best course to be taken.
"You must send him right away," he said. "That's his best chance."
"Dad won't hear of the Colonies," the other replied. "Says it's so far and he'll never see the boy again once he gets out there. Stood up and fought me fairly!" And it was clear from the way she said it that the resistance encountered from her husband had been as rare as it was astonishing.
"I didn't mean the Colonies," the other replied.
"What then?"
"The Army."
Mrs. Caspar's face fell. She was momentarily shocked: for she belonged to a sect that had for generations been despitefully used by the powers that be. And the weapon of the powers that be is always in the last resort the Army.