EPHRAIM HERRICK wasted no time in taking his next step, which was a refusal to accept, directly or indirectly, any further aid from David. Ephraim first consulted with his wife and, for her sake, he was reluctant to resort to this method of striking at his son for he was well aware that the chief burden, which must become heavier from their decision, must be borne by his wife.
For this reason, Sarah Herrick was prevented from protesting. Her husband asked her a difficult thing for the sake of their son's soul and she had to agree to it.
Ephraim planned to make his action as stinging as possible by waiting until David forwarded his next check when Ephraim meant to return it; but David's mother intervened and, trying to take some of the sting from this hard decision, she wrote to David not to send the money.
Her gentle letter, written after much evident labor to make her words bear her love, affected David as no words from his father could.
"The time has come for me, my son, when with my heart full for you," she began.
The letter arrived in the morning mail, which was brought to David's and Fidelia's rooms while they were breakfasting. David had realized, ever since the days
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