"Most infernally kind," said Howard, with a sigh of a ton weight. "Had

you any idea that your father was building this little place? By the

way, I can't imagine Sir Stephen building anything that could be

described as 'little'.

"You are right," assented Stafford, with a nod. "I heard coming down

that it was a perfect palace of a place, a kind of palace of art

and--and that sort of thing. You know the governor's style?" His brows

were slightly knit for just a second, then he threw, as it were, the

frown off, with a smile. "No, I knew nothing about it; I knew as little

about it as I do of the governor himself and his affairs."

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Howard nodded.

"When you come to think of it, Howard, isn't it strange that father and

son should know so little of each other? I have not seen the governor

for I forget how many years. He has been out of England for the last

fourteen or fifteen, with the exception of a few flying visits; and on

the occasion of those visits I was either at school on the Continent or

tramping about with a gun or a rod, and so we never met. I've a kind of

uneasy suspicion that my revered parent had no particular desire to

renew his acquaintance with his dutiful offspring; anyway, if he had,

he would have arranged a meeting. Seems rather peculiar; for in every

other respect his conduct as a parent has been above reproach."

"Those are scarcely the terms by which I should designate a liberality

which can only be described as criminally lavish, and an indifference

to your moral progress which might more properly belong to an

unregenerate Turk than to an English baronet. Considering the

opportunities of evil afforded you by the possession of a practically

unlimited allowance, and a brazen cheek which can only be described as

colossal, the fact that you have not long since gone headlong to the

devil fills me with perpetual and ever-freshening wonder."

Stafford yawned and shrugged his shoulders with cheerful acquiescence.

"Should have gone a mucker ever so many times, old man, if it hadn't

been for you," he said; "but you've always been at hand just at the

critical moment to point out to me that I was playing the giddy goat

and going to smash. That's why I like to have you with me as a kind of

guide, monitor, and friend, you know."

Howard groaned and attempted to get rid of another miniature pool of

water, and succeeded--as before.




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