“If ever a fellow seemed sincere, he did.”
“Don’t doubt it.”
“He confessed that he had been tempted more than once, when all the world was against him, but in the future he should have greater strength to resist temptation, knowing there was one who believed in him.”
“That’s all right,” muttered Bart, feeling that he must say something.
“Is it all right? How would it look if I were to play the spy on him to-night? Would it seem to him, if he knew it, that I believed in him?”
“Well, as—er—as Dismal Jones says, ‘By their works ye shall know them.’ In these modern times, faith without proof is regarded as folly. If you were to convince yourself that Hooker did not visit the slums from any evil reason, then you would have all the more confidence in him. A man’s actions prove what he is.”
“You make a good argument, Hodge, but I don’t believe I’ll go, just the same. I should feel guilty all the time I was doing it.”
“Well,” said Bart desperately, “I’m not going to coax you!”
“Don’t.”
“But you may be doing Hooker harm by not going.”