"Why," he argued, "should the profits of toil be used to buy more tools for toil and not more comforts for toil?" "Why, why--" he challenged Market Street, "is the partnership of society, not a partnership, but a conspiracy?" Now Market Street had long been wrathful at that persistent Why. But when it became known that John Dexter had invited Grant Adams to occupy the pulpit of the Congregational Church one Sunday evening to state his case, Market Street's wrath choked it. For several years John Dexter had been preaching sermons that made the choir the only possible theme of conversation between him and Ahab Wright. John Dexter had been crucified a thousand times by the sordid greed of man in Harvey, and had cried out in the wilderness of his pulpit against it; but his cries fell upon deaf ears, or in dumb hearts. The invitation to Grant to speak at John Dexter's Sunday evening service was more of a challenge to Harvey than Harvey comprehended. But even if the town did not entirely realize the seriousness of the challenge, at least the minister found himself summoned by Market Street to a meeting to discuss the wisdom of his invitation. Whereupon John Dexter accepted the invitation and, girding up his loins, went as a strong man rejoicing to run a race. To what a judgment seat they summoned John Dexter! First, up spake Commerce. "Dr. Dexter," said Commerce--Commerce always referred to John Dexter as Doctor, though no Doctor was he and he knew it well, "Dr. Dexter, we feel that your encouragement--hum--uhm--well, your patronage of this man Adams, in his--well, shall we say incendiary--" a harsh word is incendiary, so Commerce stopped and touched its graying side whiskers reverently and patted its immaculate white necktie, and then went on: "--well perhaps indiscreet will do!" With Commerce indeed there is no vast difference between the indiscreet and the incendiary. "--indiscreet agitation against the--well--uhm--the way we have to conduct business, is--is regrettable,--at least regrettable!" "Why?" interrupted John Dexter sharply, throwing Commerce sadly out of balance. But the Law, which is the palladium of our liberties, answered for Commerce in a slow snarling, "because he is preaching discontent."