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Dr。 Gurney thoughtfully regarded the bandage strip he had been winding； and
tossed it into the open bag。 〃What's the matter with giving Bibbs a chance to
live？〃 he said； coolly。 〃I would if I were you。 You've had TWO that went
into business。〃
Sheridan's mouth moved grotesquely before he could speak。 〃Joe Gurney；〃 he
said； when he could command himself so far； 〃are you accusin' me of the
responsibility for the death of my son James？〃
〃I accuse you of nothing；〃 said the doctor。 〃But just once I'd like to have
it out with you on the question of Bibbsand while he's here； too。〃 He got
up； walked to the fire； and stood warming his hands behind his back and
smiling。 〃Look here； old fellow； let's be reasonable；〃 he said。 〃You were
bound Bibbs should go to the shop again； and I gave you and him； both； to
understand pretty plainly that if he went it was at the risk of his life。
Well； what did he do？ He said he wanted to go。 And he did go； and he's made
good there。 Now； see： Isn't that enough？ Can't you let him off now？ He
wants to write； and how do you know that he couldn't do it if you gave him a
chance？ How do you know he hasn't some message something to say that might
make the world just a little bit happier or wiser？ He MIGHTin timeit's a
possibility not to be denied。 Now he can't deliver any message if he goes
down there with you； and he won't HAVE any to deliver。 I don't say going down
with you is likely to injure his health； as I thought the shop would； and as
the shop did； the first time。 I'm not speaking as doctor now； anyhow。 But I
tell you one thing I know： if you take him down there you'll kill something
that I feel is in him； and it's finer； I think； than his physical body； and
you'll kill it deader than a door…nail！ And so why not let it live？ You've
about come to the end of your string； old fellow。 Why not stop this perpetual
devilish fighting and give Bibbs his chance？〃
Sheridan stood looking at him fixedly。 〃What 'fighting？'〃
〃Yourswith nature。〃 Gurney sustained the daunting gaze of his fierce
antagonist equably。 〃You don't seem to understand that you've been struggling
against actual law。〃
〃What law？〃
〃Natural law；〃 said Gurney。 〃What do you think beat you with Edith？ Did
Edith； herself； beat you？ Didn't she obey without question something powerful
that was against you？ EDITH wasn't against you； and you weren't against HER；
but you set yourself against the power that had her in its grip； and it shot
out a spurt of flameand won in a walk！ What's taken Roscoe from you？
Timbers bear just so much strain； old man； but YOU wanted to send the load
across the broken bridge； and you thought you could bully or coax the cracked
thing into standing。 Well； you couldn't！ Now here's Bibbs。 There are
thousands of men fit for the life you want him to leadand so is he。 It
wouldn't take half of Bibbs's brains to be twice as good a business man as Jim
and Roscoe put together。〃
〃WHAT！〃 Sheridan goggled at him like a zany。
〃Your son Bibbs；〃 said the doctor； composedly； 〃Bibbs Sheridan has the kind
and quantity of 'gray matter' that will make him a success in anythingif he
ever wakes up！ Personally I should prefer him to remain asleep。 I like him
that way。 But the thousands of men fit for the life you want him to lead
aren't fit to do much with the life he OUGHT to lead。 Blindly； he's been
fighting for the chance to lead ithe's obeying something that begs to stay
alive within him； and； blindly； he knows you'll crush it out。 You've set your
will to do it。 Let me tell you something more。 You don't know what you've
become since Jim's going thwarted youand that's what was uppermost； a
bafflement stronger than your normal grief。 You're half mad with a consuming
fury against the very self of the lawfor it was the very self of the law
that took Jim from you。 That was a law concerning the cohesion of molecules。
The very self of the law took Roscoe from you and gave Edith the certainty of
beating you； and the very self of the law makes Bibbs deny you to…night。 The
LAW beats you。 Haven't you been whipped enough？ But you want to whip the law
you've set yourself against it； to bend it to your own ends； to wield it and
twist it〃
The voice broke from Sheridan's heaving chest in a shout。 〃Yes！ And by God；
I will！〃
〃So Ajax defied the lightning；〃 said Gurney。
〃I've heard that dam'…fool story； too；〃 Sheridan retorted； fiercely。 〃That's
for chuldern and niggers。 It ain't twentieth century； let me tell you！
〃Defied the lighning；' did he； the jackass！ If he'd been half a man he'd 'a'
got away with it。 WE don't go showin' off defyin' the lightning we hitch it
up and make it work for us like a black…steer！ A man nowadays would just as
soon think o' defyin' a wood…shed！〃
〃Well； what about Bibbs？〃 said Gurney。 〃Will you be a really big man now
and〃
〃Gurney； you know a lot about bigness！〃 Sheridan began to walk to and fro
again； and the doctor returned gloomily to his chair。 He had shot his bolt
the moment he judged its chance to strike center was best； but the target
seemed unaware of the marksman。
〃I'm tryin' to make a big man out o' that poor truck yonder；〃 Sheridan went
on； 〃and you step in； beggin' me to let him be Lord knows whatI don't！ I
suppose you figure it out that now I got a SON…IN…LAW； I mightn't need a son！
Yes； I got a son…in…law nowa spender！〃
〃Oh； put your hand back！〃 said Gurney； wearily。
There was a bronze inkstand upon the table。 Sheridan put his right hand in
the sling； but with his left he swept the inkstand from the table and half…way
across the rooma comet with a destroying black tail。 Mrs。 Sheridan shrieked
and sprang toward it。
〃Let it lay！〃 he shouted； fiercely。 〃Let it lay！〃 And； weeping； she obeyed。
〃Yes； sir；〃 he went on； in a voice the more ominous for the sudden hush he put
upon it。 〃I got a spender for a son…in…law！ It's wonderful where property
goes； sometimes。 There was ole man Tracyyou remember him； DocJ。 R。 Tracy；
solid banker。 He went into the bank as messenger； seventeen years old； he was
president at forty…three； and he built that bank with his life for forty years
more。 He was down there from nine in the morning until four in the afternoon
the day before he diedover eighty！ Gilt edge； that bank？ It was diamond
edge！ He used to eat a bag o' peanuts and and apple for lunch； but he wasn't
stingy he was just livin' in his business。 He didn't care for pie or
automobileshe had his bank。 It was an institution； and it come pretty near
bein' the beatin' heart o' this town in its time。 Well； that ole man used to
pass one o' these here turned…up…nose and turned…up…pants cigarette boys on
the streets。 Never spoke to him； Tracy didn't。 Speak to him？ God！ he
wouldn't 'a' coughed on him！ He wouldn't 'a' let him clean the cuspidors at
the bank！ Why； if he'd 'a' just seen him standin' in FRONT the bank he'