"No doubt I have, but I did it at my own risk, and at my own expense. He never gave his formal consent to my taking out the side of the house and putting in that big window. His steward assured me it was all right, though he hinted that in case I left his lordship might feel under no obligation to grant compensation." "But why should he want you to restore the house to its original condition?" "Just to be revenged, that's all. To show his power over me and to give his tenants an object-lesson as to what will happen if they are unwise enough to think for themselves." "It's tyranny," Ralph said indignantly. "It's a piece of mean, contemptible tyranny." "You can call it by any name you like," William answered sadly, "and there's no name too bad for it; but the point to be recollected is, I've got to submit." "There's no redress for you?" "Not a bit. I've consulted Doubleday, who's the best lawyer about here, and he says it would be sheer madness to contest it." "Then what will you do?" "I've not the remotest idea. There's no other place in St. Goram I can get. His lordship professes that he would far rather have twenty small shops and twenty small shopkeepers all living from hand to mouth than one prosperous tradesman selling the best and the freshest and at the lowest possible price." "Well, I can sympathise with him in that," Ralph answered, with a smile. "And yet you are no more fond of buying stale things than other people." "That may be true. And yet the way the big concerns are crushing out the small men is not a pleasant spectacle." "But no shopkeeper compels people to buy his goods," William said, with a troubled expression in his eyes. "And when they come to his shop, is he to say he won't supply them? And when his business shows signs of expansion, is he to say it shall not expand?" "No, no. I don't mean that at all. I like to see an honest business man prospering. And a man who attends to his business and his customers deserves to prosper. But I confess I don't like to see these huge combines and trusts deliberately pushing out the smaller men--not by fair competition, mind you, but by unfair--selling things below cost price until their competitors are in the bankruptcy court, and then reaping a big harvest." "I like that as little as you do," William said mildly. "Every honest, industrious man ought to have a chance of life, but the chances appear to be becoming fewer every day." And he sighed again. For several minutes neither of them spoke, then William said-- "I thought I would like to tell you all about it at the earliest opportunity. I knew I should have your sympathy." "I wish I could help you," Ralph answered. "You helped me when I hadn't a friend in the world." "I have your sympathy," William answered, "and that's a great thing; for the rest we must trust in God." And he rose to his feet and looked towards the door.