A few minutes later he went out to the street. His Aladdin's lamp was smashed! What a fool he had been!
When he reached home Mother Bab read the news in his face. "Never mind," she said bravely, "we'll get along without that money."
"Yes—but"—David spoke slowly, as if fearing to hurt her further—"I hoped to have a nice bank account for you to draw on when—when I go."
"You mean——" Mother Bab stopped suddenly. Something choked her, but she faced him squarely and looked up into his face.
"Yes, mother, I mean that I must go. You want me to go, don't you?"
"Yes." The word came slowly, but David knew how truly she felt it. "You must go. I knew it right away when I saw that we were called of God to help in the fight for world peace and righteousness. You must go; there is nothing to keep you. Phares will look after the little farm. I spoke to him about it last week——"
"Mother, you knew then!"
"I saw it in your face as soon as war was declared. Phares was lovely about it and said he could just as well take your few acres in with his and pay a percentage to me for the crops he'll get from them. Phares is kind; he has a big heart, for all his queer ways and his strict views."
"Phares is too good to be related to me, mommie. I'm ashamed of myself."
"Ach, you two are just different, that's all. I can go over and stay at their house. Did you tell Phœbe you are going?"