"I can't help their writing to me. If you want to know who it is, it's your friend, Ben Bradford."
"How long have you corresponded?" asked James.
"I wouldn't lower myself by writing to him," said Sam wrathfully. "I'll show you what I think of his letter."
As he spoke, he tore the letter to pieces.
"You're a strange boy, Sam," said James.
"Why am I?"
"Haven't you been working hard to get Ben back to Milltown?"
"I wish he'd come back."
"And yet you can't bear the sight of him."
"I hate him worse than any fellow I know."