Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-31

SCH dt HIS Hfau. w nv ndu lie DcSu SuCh
a blind fool as not to accept her at once
and improve the occasion to have his
debts paid? What sort of stupidity was
IT that had been upon him? However. SO
far as Miss Norman was concerned he
would be all right. He would see her
again in a day or two. or perhaps not so
early. and would fix Up matters with her.
Altogether this part of his thinking was
entirely directed against his own stupid
ity. Sentiment or affection did not In his
present condition of headaclle make any
pretense of entering into it,
The other part Of his doings with An
Wolf was what troubled him most as to
recollection. He remembered fully meet
ing him at the club and being helped into
the dogcart at the start for home. He
had a vague remembrance of showing
Harold Stephens letter asking him to
meet her al Caester wood. Here sud
den thought took him: he got up and
looked in his pockets He could not find
the letter. but he laid himself on his bed
again with now a fuller remembrance of
what had been. He felt angry. very
angry. and the anger. if it did not aid his
memory. at least helped to clear his
brain. Step by step he tried to racollect
exactly what Harold had said about his
showing the letter.
Last of all he remembered HarOld's
threat That is. he remembered the pur-
pose of It. though he could not recall the
exact words. When these had been
SpohVIl i!e "dS SGIti HE
had staggered up the avenue to his own
house he had kept repeating them over
and over again to himself so that he
would not forget them. But he had al
tered the words SO often in his struggles
to remember them that only the sense re-
manned His immediate purpose was to
bear them In mind that later on.
when he should have him at some disad-
vantage he would get square with him
for his insult He did not have any inn
tot rf~ vol
man with whom he felt it would hardly
be wise to have personal quarrel
That matter of the letter worried him.
He had a distinct recollection of insist
ing that Harold should give it back to
him. but he could not remember the end
of that branch of the conversation. or
whether he had really recovered it. He
must find that out. by some means or
other. He would have that letter back:
he wanted it. He had yet to settle mat
ters with Stephen Norman. and some
where in the background of his mind.
that part where instinct lies. he had an
idea that in this 1t might prove useful to
him Stephen was peculiar girl, and
she might round on him. In that case
: Every mean. selfish instinct of the
man made the possession Of that letter
a desira BILE thing.
When he got up he found on his Dress
ing table, where he had left them the day
before, his fathers note and the jewelers.
dunnng beasts those tradesmen were!
And how incons.derate of his father to
keep worrying him like that, when he
had had enough worry already about the
beastly thing. Well. all that would be
over when he married Stephen. And he
would have the laugh on the governor
He would have more than the laugh on
him: he would make him feel pretty small
for always keeping rubbing it in to him
about money. =
He hreakfasted a,ona his father HAVING
breakfasted hours before. When he had
finished the maid told him that his father
wished to see him In the study. He threw
into the CRATE the cigarette which he had
just lighted. His father did not smoke
himself. and though he tolerated his son
smoking in the dining room and In his
own room. he did not allow it in his
study. Leonard's purpose he went
down the passage was expressed TO him
self:
II must try bluff on the governor. I
must keep him off that Internal bill till
I'm solid with Stephen Then he
knocked and entered the study.
An acute DhysiognCmist would have
classed Mr.. Everard of something of
his sons tyre but much higher. He. too
was an egotist selfish and self-contain ned
But. unlike his son. he was not in any
way a voluptuary. He was pracise. cold
exact in all his dealings: a just man In
his own view. He would drive hard
bargain and enforce Ii. Those who had
any dealings with him a second time were
careful to be up to time with their part
of the bargain. He paid all his dues to
the day and his bills the day before the
time allowed for discount had elapse ID.
He contributed respectable amount to
local charities His income tax return
had never been quer!ed. In his own mind
he held himself man of honor and
in all matters of exactness fulfilled the
letter of the law But none ever looked
to him for sympathy or help. and his
tenants. though fairly treated. envied
those who held their land from any other
estate.
Left widower while his only son was
quite a boy. Ire had never remarked. He
had done what he considered his duty to
the boy: had tutor. sent him to Elton
and Oxford. and put before him. habitu-
ally. his defections from the standard Of
conduct laid down for him.
The children of such man seldom i'm
prove their father. On the contrary
they deteriorate. The selfshness and the
other lower qualities remain and flourish.
but the coldnesS becomes Indifference to
the feelings of others and general want
of moral tone. Morals require heat Of
some kind. They are hardly Indigenous
to the animal, natural man. but rather to
the civilized man. The Instrumentation
of the cold-natured man comes out often
in his children voluptuousness. and the
voluptuousness OF cold natures Is a thing
to dread.
When Leonard entered the study he
found his father in his most stern and
aggressive mood. He said, coldly, as he
pointed to a chair:
Good morning. You were home late
last night. and not quite in a condition to
be proud Of But that is not the subject
| wish to speak Of Sit down." Leonard
took his seat, feeling all the old repellant
fears of his boyhood coming over him
again. His father went on at once:
You got my letter.
Yes, sir
you noted what l said about some
items in Observation-Disclosures bill?"
Yes This answer was given in a
more surly tone.
Then l am ready to hear what you
have TO say in the matter Your ex-
the sentences with Il premeditated STAG
cato force the elder man placed his finger
tips together and leaned back in his chair
cold Self-Satist faction increasing rather
than oftaning Tire SternnesS of his face.
Leonard felt that now was his moment
FOR displaying his resources. A man like
him. over head and ears in debt must
have large experience in the way of
facing unpleasant situations and power
of making dilatory excuses. Creditors re-
uuire deal of persuasion. and neither
their taste. manner nor speech is. as d
rule. calculated to be soothing Even pa
thence and forbearance ara not prime
qualities in a borrower unprepared To re-
pay. The provarb "A soft answer turneth
away wrath! does not apply. Rather as
:, shield and buckler. the tongue of the
ready liar. the optimistic enthusiasm of
the tete montee. the reasonable setting
forth of adequate promises of help Leon
ard had over aud over again eXercis ed all