“I know you have saved me, Frank Merriwell!” he said. “But who are you? Are you some good angel who goes round saving foolish fellows from the results of their folly?”
“Not exactly!”
“And how can you he sure you’ll ever get back one dollar of the money you have offered to loan me?
“I am sure because I believe in you.”
“But you may be deceived. You know that. You may not get the money back. How dare you take the other risk?”
“I dare not take the other risk!”
“Why—what do you mean?”
“If I did not take this risk I know what the result would be. If I did not let you have the money, I know you would go straight the downward road to destruction. I consider a human life and a human soul worth more than a paltry thousand.”
Billy Madison was dazed, for he had not believed there was in all the world one person like Frank Merriwell. Such unhesitating and unselfish generosity astounded and bewildered him.
“You must be very rich!” he said.