Flood Tide

s' great touring car rolled up to Willie's cottage, and from it stepped not only Robert Morton's old college chum, Roger Galbraith

enance was stern to severity. His son, on the other hand, possessed none of his father's force of personality. Although his features were almost a replica of those of the older man, they lacked strength; it was as if the second impression taken from the type had been less clear-cut and positive. The eyes w

fact, there was in his manner a certain magnetism and warmth of sympathy that the elder man could not boast, and it was because of this asset he had never wanted

both father and son a sincere affection which differed only in the quality of the re

them, and the winning of it had left in its wake a self-reliance and independence surprisingly mature. Ironically enough, this power to fend for himself which Mr. Galbraith so heartily endorsed and respected in Bob was the very characteristic of which he had deprived his own boy, the vast fortune the capitalist had rolled up eliminating all struggle from Roger's career. Every barrier had been removed, every thwarting force had been brought into abeyance, and afterward, with an inconsistency typical of human nature, the leveler

have been blessed with Bob's attributes, the dream of his life would have been fulfilled. Money was a potent slave. In the great man's hands it had wrought a magician's marvels. But this miracle, alas, it was powerless to accomplish. Roger was his son, his only son, whom he adored with instinctive passion; for whom he coveted every good gift; and i

not have ha

he came up the walk to the doorway

u," exclaimed he with heartiness.

raith," smiled Bob. "You

better in

er his surroundings, a telegraphic glance of

u, old man?

great to see you ag

not need more to assure eac

d Mr. Galbraith who had been studying the view. "I

smile at the characteristic

ting Mr. Spence out of this

Spe

aunt, Miss Morton,

never to waste words when

glad to meet your

et you too, sir. They are jus

rew open the door into

o water-soaked rigidity. By the exchange both persons had lost a certain picturesqueness which Bob could not but deplore. Nevertheless the fact did not greatly matter, for it was not toward them t

What's a

ight under other conditions have provoked

edly. "'Tain't a common sight, I'll admit. We get used to it here an' thin

d the capitalist, still too much in

rings while the New Yorker listened, and as the old man told his story it w

ave been an inventor," he exclai

l light come in

ould have a workshop with all the trapp

p," Robert Morton interrupted

e to see it?"

ld, ver

t the suggestion. "It ain't been swept out since the deluge. Willie won't ha

braith

I remember the chaos my father's tool-house always was in; it nev

ighed and t

every room in the house so'st it would be presentable, Willie should tow them

d a comforting arm r

Galbraiths have rooms enough of their own to loo

hen, giving her a reassuring little squ

pride of entertaining such distinguished strangers the little old man had also forgotten it, for as Bob entered he caught sight of him fumbling awkwardly with a piece of sailcloth snatched up in a hurried attempt to conceal

o here?" demanded

it would have taken a quicker witted charlatan than he to evade such an alert questioner. Therefore in anot

until the gentle draw

d. "You've got an idea

ventor

thought we had," r

helpin

astened to say. "The plan was entirely Mr. Spence

own," Mr. Galbraith asserted to Willie. "I fancy you've f

is visitor, he added: "Then you think there's some likelihood tha

ntrary, it should be perfectly workable, and if it

don't

less enthusiasm for the prospective fort

d pleasure, poking in among the cans of paint, oil, and varnish, rattling the nails in the dingy cigar-

ngth exclaimed, "and I haven't been inside such

n the grass he lingered a moment beneath the arch of grapevine and looked

oo. Bob couldn't be in a pleasanter spot than this. I hope sometime yo

ld admire to have you come whenever the cravin' strikes you. We're a

h them to the car and loite

to-night," called Bo

morrow," Roger cor

w then," smiled

Almost without a sound the motor shot along the sand of the Harbor Road

Galbraith aloud. "What a pity he cou

no

cent to carry out any o

afraid h

igar and puffed at it

if it could be perfected and boomed

u thin

now

of the engine wa

get Snelling down here and set him to

the expert from your

n't it be a

orton he

g's ability would be a tremendous asset in hand

ed of the old fellow suspecting who he was. Once there he could pitch in and help the scheme along. It is going to be quit

ed. "It certainly would be a great help to have Mr. Snelling's aid. But could yo

d when here he would do whatever he was told," repli

ry kind

need, too. Snelling shall have an order to that effect so th

d, Mr. Galbraith; but

it is hard to believe that life gives everybody a square deal, isn't it? That man, for instance. He has the brain and the creative impulse, but he has been cheated of his opportunity. I should enjoy

lau

it tremendou

sted, cutting him short. "I will telegraph Snelling and you may ar

, s

is all

nto silence and Bob had no choice but to suppress his gratitude and resign