Not only the Rutherford children, their withered _Aunt Ann_, and old _Rutherford_ himself, but even _Martin_, the faithful servant in the employ of the Rutherfords for twenty-five years, is "dedicated," and when he ceases to be of use to their Moloch, he is turned into a thief and then cast off, even as _Janet_ and _John_. Not love for _John_, his oldest son, or sympathy with the latter's wife and child induces old _Rutherford_ to forgive his son's marriage with a mere shop-girl, but because he needs _John_ to serve the house of Rutherford. The one inexorable purpose, always and ever! His second son _Richard_, who is in the ministry, and "of no use" to old _Rutherford's_ God of stone, receives the loving assurance: "You were no good for my purpose, and there's the end; for the matter o' that, you might just as well never ha' been born." For that matter, his daughter _Janet_ might also never have been born, except that she was "good enough" to look after her father's house, serve him, even helping take off his boots, and submitting without a murmur to the loveless, dismal life in the Rutherford home. Her father has sternly kept every suitor away, "because no one in Grantley's good enough for us." _Janet_ has become faded, sour and miserable with yearning for love, for sunshine and warmth, and when she at last dares to partake of it secretly with her father's trusted man _Martin_, old _Rutherford_ sets his iron heel upon her love, and drags it through the mud till it lies dead. Again, when he faces the spirit of rebellion in his son _John_, _Rutherford_ crushes it without the slightest hesitation in behalf of his one obsession, his one God--the House of Rutherford. _John_ has made an invention which holds great possibilities. By means of it he hopes to shake of the deadly grip of the Rutherfords'. He wants to become a free man and mold a new life for himself, for his wife and child. He knows his father will not credit the value of his invention. He dare not approach him: the Rutherford children have been held in dread of their parent too long. _John_ turns to _Martin_, the faithful servant, the only one in the confidence of _Rutherford_. _John_ feels himself safe with _Martin_. But he does not know that _Martin_, too, is dedicated to Moloch, broken by his twenty-five years of service, left without will, without purpose outside of the Rutherfords'. _Martin_ tries to enlist _Rutherford's_ interest in behalf of _John_. But the old man decides that _John_ must turn over his invention to the House of Rutherford. _Rutherford._ What's your receipt? _John._ I want to know where I stand.... I want my price.