Bitter thoughts crowded fast upon him as he hurried along. He recalled a conversation he had once heard between two young men. One had said that there was not a rich man living who had acquired his wealth—unless it had been inherited—honestly and with a clear conscience. Ben had been impressed with this statement and had repeated it to his father, who had denounced it as false. “There are plenty of knaves among rich men, but there are honest men, too,” his father had said. “It must have been a poor man, envious of the wealth of others who said that thing.”
Still, Ben reflected that his father had been a poor man, credulous, trusting in all men, to his own disadvantage sometimes.
“In order to get on in the world was it necessary to deceive and cheat?” the boy questioned. “No, it isn’t true!” he exclaimed aloud, causing the passers-by to regard him curiously. “I’d rather be in my place and know that I’ve done the square thing than be in his! I wouldn’t stain my immortal soul for gold!”
Sustained by this thought, he found courage to make his appeal.
Mr. Hale was in his office, and in a few words Ben told him what had happened.
“So, you’ve come to grief already, my boy,” the lawyer said. “Well, let’s see what can be done.”
He asked Ben a few questions and dispatched a messenger to the City Hall to search for the recording of the lease.
“Now, go home and wait,” he said in conclusion. “And don’t worry about it any more than you can help.”
“Thank you. About paying you, Mr. Hale,—” Ben began, but the other interrupted him.