“Yes, I know,” said Bertie, “and that's where the trouble comes in. She wants to keep me in a glass case, and I've got tired of it.” He paused for a moment; and then a sudden idea flashed over him. “Samuel!” he exclaimed “Why don't you marry her?” Samuel started in amazement. “What!” he gasped. “It's the very thing!” cried Bertie. “I'll set you up in a little business, and you can have an easy time.” “Master Albert!” panted the boy shocked to the depths of his soul. “She's beautiful, Samuel--you know she is. And she's a fine girl, too--only a little wild. I believe you'd be just the man to hold her in.” Bertie paused a moment, and then, seeing that the other was unconvinced, he added with a laugh, “Wait till you've known her a bit. Maybe you'll fall in love with her.” But Samuel only shook his head. “Master Albert,” he said, in a low voice, “I'm afraid you've not understood the reason I've come to you.” “How do you mean?” “This--all this business, sir--it's shocked me more than I can tell you. I came here to serve you, sir. You don't know how I felt about it. I was ready to do anything--I was so grateful for a chance to be near you! You were rich and great, and everything about you was so beautiful--I thought you must be noble and good, to have deserved so much. And now, instead, I find you are a wicked man!” The other sat up. “The dickens!” he exclaimed. “And it's a terrible thing to me,” went on Samuel. “I don't know just what to make of it-- “See here, Samuel!” demanded the other angrily. “Who sent you here to lecture me?” “I don't see how it can be!” the boy exclaimed. “You are one of the fit people, as Professor Stewart explained it to me; and yet I know some who are better than you, and who have nothing at all.” And Bertie Lockman, after another stare into the boy's solemn eyes, sank back in his chair and burst into laughter. “Look here, Samuel!” he exclaimed. “You aren't playing the game!” “How do you mean, sir?” “If I'm one of the fit ones, what right have you got to preach at me?” Samuel was startled. “Why sir--” he stammered. “Just look!” went on Bertie. “I'm the master, and you're the servant. I have breeding and culture--everything--and you're just a country bumpkin. And yet you presume to set your ideas up against mine! You presume to judge me, and tell me what I ought to do!” Samuel was taken aback by this. He could not think what to reply. “Don't you see?” went on Bertie, following up his advantage. “If you really believe what you say, you ought to submit yourself to me. If I say a thing's right, that makes it right. If I had to come to you to have you approve it, wouldn't that make you the master and me the servant?” “No, no--Master Albert!” protested Samuel. “I didn't mean quite that!” “Why, I might just as well give you my money and be done with it,” insisted the other. “Then you could fix everything up to suit yourself.”