th. She shall choose for
herself."

Then he twisted about to where Greeba stood in silence behind his
chair. "Greeba," he said, with a world of longing in his eyes, "my
darling, you see how it is. I am old and very poor, and heaven pity
my blind folly, I have no home to offer you, for I have none to
shelter my own head. Don't fear for me, for I have no fear for
myself. I will be looked to in the few days that remain to me, and,
come what may, the sorry race of my foolish life will soon be over.
But you have made no mistakes that merit my misfortunes. So choose,
my child, choose. It is poverty with me or plenty with your mother.
Choose, my child, choose; and let it be quickly, let it be quickly,
for my old heart is bursting."

Then the brave girl drew herself proudly up, her brilliant eyes
aflame, and her whole figure erect and quivering.

"Choose?" she cried, in a piercing voice; "there is no choice. I will
go with my father, and follow him over the world, though we have no
covering but the skies above us."

And then Adam leapt from his chair to his feet, and the infirmity of
his years seemed gone in an instant, and his wet face shone with the
radiance of a great joy. "Do you hear that, you people?" he cried.
"There's grace, and charity, and unselfishness, and love left in the
world still. Thank heaven, I have not yet to curse the day her body
brought forth children. Come, Greeba, we will go our ways, and God's
protection will go with us. 'I have been young and now am old, yet
have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging
bread.'"

He strode across to the door, then stopped and looked back to where
his sons stood together with the looks of whipped dogs.

"And you, you unnatural sons," he cried, "I cast you out of my mind.
I give you up to your laziness and drunkenness and vain pleasures. I
am going to one who is not flesh of my flesh, and yet he is my son
indeed."

Again he made for the door, and stopped on the threshold, and faced
about towards his wife. "As for you, woman, your time will come.
Remember that! Remember that!"

Greeba laid one hand softly on his shoulder and said, "Come, father,
come," but again he looked back at his sons and said, "Farewell, all
of you! Farewell! You will see me no more. May a day like this that
has come to your father never, never come to you."

And then all his brave bearing, his grand strength broke down in a
moment, and as the girl laid hold of his arm, l