He paused to relate for Tom Clark's benefit the story of the transaction with which we are fully familiar.
"Of course, if then I had known of the existence of our young friend and his family, I should have been obliged to include him in the beneficence of my Providence. But I didn't. It was left for you, my dear, to discover him!... There was a time when I felt that I had played the part of Providence rashly,"—he smiled upon Adelle, who recalled quite vividly the stern lecture that the court had given her when she was about to receive her fortune. "But now I feel that I did very well, indeed. In fact I am rather proud of my success as Providence to this young woman.... So I recommend the same rôle to you and Mr. Clark. Look up these California Clarks, study them, make up your minds what they need most, then act as wisely as you can, not merely in their behalf, but in behalf of us all, of all the people who find themselves upon this earth in the long struggle out of ignorance and misery upwards to light.... It will keep you busy," he concluded with his fine smile,—"busy, I think, for the better part of your two lives. But I can think of no more interesting occupation than to try to be a just and wise Providence!"
"It's some job," the mason remarked. "I don't feel sure we'd succeed in it much better than Fate."
"You will become a part of Fate," the judge said earnestly, "as we all are! Don't you see?"
"We'd better begin with Cousin Stan first," the mason shouted. "I'd like to be his fate, you bet!"
"What would you do with the Honorable Stanley Clark?" the judge asked.
"Boot him clear out of the State of California—show him up for what he is—a mean little cuss of a grafter; no friend of labor or anything else but his own pocket."
"Good! But it will take money to do that these days, a good deal of money! You will have to pay for publicity and court expenses and all the rest of it."
"Hoorah! I'd like to soak him one with his share of Clark's Field!"
"Providence blesses as well as curses," warned the old judge. "And it's chief work, I take it, is educational—to develop all that is possible from within. Remember that, sir, when you are 'soaking' Cousin Stan."