s Mugs Bowman. What can Mugs offer his girl except a life of
hard, grinding work, a houseful of children and a death perhaps of slow
disease? Yet Mugs must have his houseful of children for they must all
work to support Morty. Where is the justice in a society organized like
this?

"For Christ's living sake," cried the man as his face glowed in his
emotion, "let life wash in from its holy source to these our brothers.
Shame on you--you greedy ones, you dollar worshipers--you dam the
stream, you muddy the waters, you poison the well of
life--shame--shame!" he cried and then paused, gloated perhaps in his
pause, for the storm he saw gathering in the crowd, to break. His face
was transfigured by the passion in his heart and seemed illumined with
wrath.

"The flag--the flag!" bawled deaf John Kollander, rising, "He is
desecrating Old Glory!"

Then fire met fire and the conflagration was past control. It raged over
the church noisily.

"Look-a here, young man," called Joseph Calvin, standing in his seat.

"The flag--will no one defend the flag!" bellowed John Kollander, while
Rhoda, his wife, looked on with amiable approval.

"P-put him out," stuttered Kyle Perry, and his clerks and understrappers
joined the clamor.

"Well, say, men," cried George Brotherton in the confusion of hissing
and groaning, "can't you let the man talk? Is free speech dead in this
town?" His great voice silenced the crowd, and John Dexter was in the
pulpit holding out his hands. As he spoke the congregation grew silent,
and they heard him say:

"This is a free pulpit; this man shall not be disturbed." But Joseph
Calvin stamped noisily out of the church. John Kollander and his wife
marched out behind him with military tread and Kyle Perry and Ahab
Wright with their families followed, amid a shuffling of feet and a
clamor of voices. The men from South Harvey kept their places. There was
a whispering among them and Grant, fearing that they would start
trouble, called to them sternly:

"My friends must respect this house. Let property riot--poverty can
wait. It has waited a long time and is used to it."

When Market Street was gone, the speaker drew a deep breath and said in
a low, quiet voice charged with pent-up emotion: "Now that we are alone,
friends,--now that they are gone whose hearts needed this message, let
me say just this: God has given you who live beautiful lives the keeping
of his treasure. Let us ask ourselves this: Shall we k