Thencameanevenworsereflection；howifhehadfallenamongmaterialthievesaswellasspiritualones？Heknewverylittleofhowhismoneywasgoingon；hehadputitallnowintoPryer’shands，andthoughPryergavehimcashtospendwheneverhewantedit，heseemedimpatientofbeingquestionedastowhatwasbeingdonewiththeprincipal。Itwaspartoftheunderstanding，hesaid，thatthatwastobelefttohim，andErnesthadbettersticktothis，orhe，Pryer，wouldthrowuptheCollegeofSpiritualPathologyaltogether；andsoErnestwascowedintoacquiescence，orcajoled，accordingtothehumourinwhichPryersawhimtobe。
ErnestthoughtthatfurtherquestionswouldlookasifhedoubtedPryer’sword，andalsothathehadgonetoofartobeabletorecedeindecencyorhonour。This，however，hefeltwasridingouttomeettroubleunnecessarily。Pryerhadbeenalittleimpatient，buthewasagentlemanandanadmirablemanofbusiness，sohismoneywoulddoubtlesscomebacktohimallrightsomeday。
Ernestcomfortedhimselfasregardsthislastsourceofanxiety，butasregardstheother，hebegantofeelasthough，ifhewastobesaved，agoodSamaritanmusthurryupfromsomewhere——heknewnotwhence。
Nextdayhefeltstrongeragain。Hehadbeenlisteningtothevoiceoftheeviloneonthenightbefore，andwouldparleynomorewithsuchthoughts。Hehadchosenhisprofession，andhisdutywastoperseverewithit。IfhewasunhappyitwasprobablybecausehewasnotgivingupallforChrist。Lethimseewhetherhecouldnotdomorethanhewasdoingnow，andthenperhapsalightwouldbesheduponhispath。
Itwasallverywelltohavemadethediscoverythathedidn’tverymuchlikepoorpeople，buthehadgottoputupwiththem，foritwasamongthemthathisworkmustlie。SuchmenasTowneleywereverykindandconsiderate，butheknewwellenoughitwasonlyonconditionthathedidnotpreachtothem。Hecouldmanagethepoorbetter，and，letPryersneerasheliked，hewasresolvedtogomoreamongthem，andtrytheeffectofbringingChristtothemiftheywouldnotcomeandseekChristofthemselves。Hewouldbeginwithhisownhouse。