"No, I don't believe it would," replied Dr. Bruce. "But we don't know the history of this man's case. He may have asked for help so often before that, finally, in a moment of desperation he determined to help himself. I have known such cases this winter." "That is not the terrible fact in this case," said the Bishop. "The awful thing about it is the fact that the man had not had any work for six months." "Why don't such people go out into the country?" asked the divinity student. Some one at the table who had made a special study of the opportunities for work in the country answered the question. According to the investigator the places that were possible for work in the country were exceedingly few for steady employment, and in almost every case they were offered only to men without families. Suppose a man's wife or children were ill. How would he move or get into the country? How could he pay even the meager sum necessary to move his few goods? There were a thousand reasons probably why this particular man did not go elsewhere. "Meanwhile there are the wife and children," said Mrs. Bruce. "How awful! Where is the place, did you say?" "Why, it is only three blocks from here. This is the 'Penrose district.' I believe Penrose himself owns half of the houses in that block. They are among the worst houses in this part of the city. And Penrose is a church member." "Yes, he belongs to the Nazareth Avenue Church," replied Dr. Bruce in a low voice. The Bishop rose from the table the very figure of divine wrath. He had opened his lips to say what seldom came from him in the way of denunciation, when the bell rang and one of the residents went to the door. "Tell Dr. Bruce and the Bishop I want to see them. Penrose is the name--Clarence Penrose. Dr. Bruce knows me." The family at the breakfast table heard every word. The Bishop exchanged a significant look with Dr. Bruce and the two men instantly left the table and went out into the hall. "Come in here, Penrose," said Dr. Bruce, and they ushered the visitor into the reception room, closed the door and were alone. Clarence Penrose was one of the most elegant looking men in Chicago. He came from an aristocratic family of great wealth and social distinction. He was exceedingly wealthy and had large property holdings in different parts of the city. He had been a member of Dr. Bruce's church many years. He faced the two ministers with a look of agitation on his face that showed plainly the mark of some unusual experience. He was very pale and his lips trembled as he spoke. When had Clarence Penrose ever before yielded to such a strange emotion?