Poor Mary did not know this, but thought rather that James would do good to Ben, and lead him right. She had to learn the sad truth that all men are prone to do ill, and that the bad are more apt to lead than to be led.
Still it must not be said that James was quite lost to all sense of what was right. He often wished that he had not been led to do some of the things that he did do. More than once he said to Ben, “Ben, I know that is bad; I will not go with you.”
Then Ben would laugh at him and say, “You know that is bad! That’s very fine; but you know that there are other things much worse by a long way. Come on; don’t go and say No when I ask you.”
James would stand and think, and say to himself, “Where’s the harm, just for this once? I don’t like not to please Ben, and when I marry Mary I’ll give it up, and all will be right.”
So James went on from bad to worse, for he had not got in his heart faith in God or love to Christ.
Mark Page did not mind James doing the bad things he did with Ben, for he said, “If the two get into a scrape, Farmer Grey must get Ben out of it for the sake of his nephew. Young men must sow their wild oats, and may be he won’t make the worse husband to Mary for it.”
All this time Mark Page did not love Farmer Grey more than at first. Not a day passed that he did not say something against him, or do something to do him harm.
Farmer Grey knew this, but did not say an ill word to Mark. If he met him it was always in a kind voice he said, “Good day, Mark Page. Good day, miller. Fine breeze for the mill. No lack of grist, I hope; I shall soon have some for you. Shall be glad to send my corn to your mill.”
“What can he want of me? I can do him no good;” growled the miller as he walked on.