His judgment gets warped. Soon Madame Grundy
does his thinking for him, along well-grooved lines."
"Oh, well! That's just talk. What am I to do?" James broke out
nervously.
"I know what I would do in your case."
"What?"
"Come out with a short statement telling the exact facts. I'd make
no apologies or long explanation. Just the plain story as simply
as you can."
"Well, I'll not," the lawyer broke out. "Easy enough for you to
say what I ought to do. Look at who my friends are--the Fromes
and the Merrills and the Gilmans. Best set in town. I strained a
point when I broke loose from them to take up this progressive
fight. They'd cut me dead if a story like this came out."
"I daresay. Communities are loaded to the guards with respectable
cowards. But if you stand on your own feet like a man they'll
think more of you for it. Most of them will be glad to know you
again inside of five years. For you're going to be successful, and
people like the Merrills and the Gilmans bow down to success."
The lawyer shook his head doggedly. "I'm not going to tell a thing
I don't have to tell. That's settled." He hesitated a moment
before he went on. "I've got a reason why I want to stand well
with the Fromes, Jeff.
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