The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-26

 back to him, but he could not remem- Der the end, of that branch of the con- versation, or whether he had really re- covered 1t. He must find that out, by some means or other. He would have that letter back; he wanted it. He had yet to settle matters with Stephen Norman, and somewhere in the back ground of his mind, that part where Instinct lies, he had an idea that an 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 desirable thing.
 When he got up he found on his dressing-table, where he had left them the day before, his fathers note and the jewellers bill They irritated him afresh. What dunning beasts those tradesmen were! And how inconsider- ate Of his father to keep worrying him like that, when he had had enough worry already about the beastly thing. We'll, all that would be over when he married Stephen. And he would have 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 breakfasted alone, 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 grate the cigarette which he had just light ed. 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 as he went down the passage was expressed to himself:
 q must try a bluff on the governor, I must keep him off that internal bill till I'm solid with Stephent Then he knocked and entered the study.
 An acute physiognomist would have classed MT. Everard as of something of his sons type, but much higher. He too was an egotist. selfish and self-contained. But. unlike his son, he was not fin any way voluptuary He was precise, cold, exact in all his dealings; just man in his own view. He would drive a hard bargain, and enforce it. Those who had any deal ings with him a second time were careful to help to time with their part of the bargain. He paid all his dues to the day; and his bills the day be- fore the time allowed for discount had elapsed. He contributed a respecta ble amount to local charities. His income tax return had never been queried. In his own mind he held himself as a 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, enyied those who held their land from any other estate.
 Left %idower whilst his only son was quite a boy he had never remar- ried. He had done what he considered his duty to the boy: had a tutor, sent him to Eton and Oxford. and put be- fore him, his defections from the stan- dard of conduct laid down for him.
 The children of such a man seldom improve On their father. On the con- trary they deteriorate. The seIfshness and the other lower qualities remain and flourish but the coldness becomes indifference to the feelings of others and a general want of moral tone Morals require, heat of some kind They are hardly indigenous to the an- final, natural man; but rather to the civilized man. The self concentration of the cold-natred man comes out often in his children as 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 con- ditton to be proud of. But that is not the subject wish to speak of .