d to let you do just as
you please just because for the time being you choose to go your own
gait. Mind, Louis, I am not going to ask you to do impossible things or
be tyrannical with you. But neither do I intend that you should throw
away a splendid chance for education just to gratify a present longing
to make money for the purpose you want it for."

The telephone rang again at this point and Paul went over to it.

Burke had come to the instrument again.

"We can't agree on the bill in its present shape and it's simply
impossible to put it through in your absence. You are being judged by
all the committees and some of them don't hesitate to say you are being
bought out. If you come down now you may be able to save it. But we are
on the point of kicking the bill out or reporting adversely. Can't you
come down within an hour?"

"I can't promise. I have a very important engagement here. I might be
able to get down by midnight, but wouldn't promise."

"Midnight! The members are dead tired now. Rogers is asleep in his chair
and Colfax is dozing on the lounge. If you don't come within an hour you
needn't come at all."

"I can't come within an hour."

"What is it? A matter of life and death?"

"Yes, a matter of life and death," Paul answered slowly.

"Oh, very well. Then the old bill is dead, that's all. It's not a matter
of question."

And Paul could picture Burke as with an incredulous sneer he hung up,
and told the committee to clear out and go to bed.

He went back into the library and sat down by Louis and put his arm
around his shoulder and reasoned with him as he had never in all the
campaign reasoned with a political acquaintance for the purpose of
winning his friendship. He showed the boy clearly what it meant to lose
an education, what a handicap it would be to him all his life if he did
not have the schooling and culture that history and language and science
stood ready to give. He pictured to Louis the tremendous advantages that
go with education in the social life of the world and cited numerous
instances in the range of his own experience to show Louis what a prize
he was throwing away at the age of sixteen if he deliberately threw away
the riches of mental power for the dirt of lust and mammon. He got hold
of Louis as he never had before, because he divined the really impure
and foolish motive the boy had for going into business, and as the
minutes ticked into hours Louis gradually became convince