"I don't feel the need of any such things, Mr. Burrows," he answered coldly.
"Suppose you don't, does that help the matter any? Does it change the fact that you belong to God; that you are cheating Him out of His own property? The question I ask is, Are you doing right?"
Howard stood, with eyes fixed on his slate, saying nothing.
"Won't you answer me, Howard?" Mr. Burrows asked gently; "is it right?"
And, after a long, long silence, the boy's honest, earnest eyes were raised to his teacher's face, and he spoke steadily:
"No, sir."
"Are you willing to go on doing wrong?"
"No, sir."
"Will you turn now, Howard, and start right?"
Now came another long silence. Howard Minturn, the honest, faithful boy, always getting a little nearer right than any of the others, had been condemned by his own words, and knew not what to say. At last he spoke: