Shining Ferry

Lockyer Street, to a house with a brass plate on the door, and on the b

once. The pair talked for five minutes on indifferent matters, then of Paris, and the terr

it over,

hoscope and listened, tapped and sounded

asked R

answered the

ave died in the same way. The pains a

hat little

e it lay, close at ha

ng?" he

haps." The doctor

on't answe

lly for a man like y

often enough asked myself why I do it. To what end, go

doctor did not remonstrat

, he lit a cigar, and strolled in the direction of the Barbican. The streets were full of holiday-keepers, and he counted a dozen b

self. "It's hard if a man with maybe a month

ng stuffy, not to say malodorous. He rapped on the door of a di

shake hands. "All alone? That's right. I hope,

a holiday," M

te shirt-front, relieved by a wisp of black cravat and two onyx studs. His coat-cuffs w

nce. "First of all," said he, with a nod toward

esitation. He unlocked the safe. "Do you wish to take

counts. If you let me pick and choose,

d out another cigar and lit it. "You can open the window," said h

andom. His fingers raced through the pages. Now and again he looked up to put a sharp question; and paused, drumming on t

make in

ound. Why the devil couldn't you have learnt something of the man? He was all right. If you'd don

nded, lighting a fresh cigar, "and come up to the Hoe f

rupt

vested in a full suit of mourn

, s

ient. You'll get to your goal, such as it is. You wear a hat that makes me ill, but in so

's care. I am having him privately instructed

supposing it the name of a girl. Then perceiving his mistake, he broke out int

you the money. Don't stare-and don't

sure,

you get. For the kind of finance that was the true game of manhood to your grandfather and me, you have no capacity whatever. No, I cannot explain. Finance? Why, you haven't even a sense of it. Yet in a way you are capable. You will make the money yield inter

fter all you have said of such places! 'Dens of idleness

ifferent from that! Do what I'd have done for you if ever you had given me a chance. Turn him loose among gentlemen; don't be afraid if he idles and wastes money; let him riot out his youth if he will-he'll be learning all the time, learning something you don't know how to teach, an

am sullenly, "you are asking me

ropped upon a bench and sat resting both hands on his s

a gentleman,

ly that boy of hers weren't blind! But he doesn't carry the name, while you."-He broke off

s a world beyo

t on God's sunshine! By what right should you expect another world, who have cut such a figure in this one? I have known love and lust, and drink and hard work and hard fighting; I have been down in the depths, and again I have kno

o other man could exasperate his father to weakness. He rubbed his thin

Still there the thing is, set out in black and white. It upsets law and soldiering and nine-tenths of men's doings in trade: to me it's folly; but so it stands, honest as daylight. When did you help a man down on his luck? or forgive your debtor? You'll get my money because you never did aught of the kind. Yet somehow you're a Christ

hich I can rely-'Be

money; on which you hardly d

ch of it as is

arne sat silent, with

not count on." He turned and looked Sam squarely

scles of his face scarcely moved, but its sallow tin

ing. The fact is, I never could feel about it in that way. I was young and fairly wild, and it happened. One doesn't think of possib

of the f

d married. No one knows; no one has ever guessed; and the proof would b

y down on the gravel. "Why did you tell me, the

secret with me into the last darkness, and be judged for it-my own sole sin and complete? Well, but there's the blind child. By law the house and ho

be! I call it cowardice, this dragging me in to help you compensate the child. Co

t there's the simple fact that I won't stand it. You're mistaken," he repeated. "I mean to settle the compensation alone, without consulting you; though, by G

a kind of stony wonder, "who advise

p and gripped his staff. "By the way, too

to hear anyt

tly and went his way down the hill. As he went, his lips move

his should be the f