"Yes," he said, "we of the fold often go astray, but I am
innocent. I have a Sunday School class of young girls that
I am going to take out into Lincoln Park tomorrow. I hardly
know what to say to them. I can't bear to think of taking
my place as head usher on Sunday, although my pastor tells
me to march down the aisle with my head erect. I am getting
to be an old man, you see, and I have never wilfully
wronged a person in my life." His voice trembled, but his
wife laid her hand on his arm and he straightened up.
"I know nothing of these men except Mr. Johnston," he said.
"I was introduced to him by a friend of mine three months
ago. I have sold stock and insurance for the last twenty
years, and I thought he had a good thing in the National
Fireproof Paint Company, so I started selling stock for
him. I could not sell the stock, as I could not show enough
assets, so I quit two weeks ago. I was a fool, and a dupe,
all right.