but finally a whirl so vigorous
that it sent Johnson spinning upon his own heel, landed squarely
beneath the jaw of Silas. That gentleman, with a puffed eye and a
bleeding lip and two teeth gone, rose from his feet with the impact of
the blow, and landed with a grunt in a huge basket of soiled
bath-towels.

"Johnson," called the laughter-shaken voice of Bobby through the
window, "I'm ashamed of you!"

Mr. Johnson looked up happily from his task of wiping away a little
trickle of blood from his already swollen nose.

"Did you see me do it?" he demanded, thrilling with pride. "Mr.
Burnit, I--I never had so much fun in my life. Never, never! By the
way, sir," and even upon that triumphant moment his duty obtruded, "I
have a letter for you that I brought away from the office," and
through the window he handed one of the inevitable gray envelopes. It
was inscribed:

_To My Son, Upon the Failure of Applerod's Swamp Scheme_

"In the midst of pleasure we are in pain," murmured Bobby, and tore
open the letter. In it he read:

"My Dear Boy:

"A man must not only examine a business proposition from all
sides, but must also turn it over and look well at the bottom.
I never knew what was the matter with that swamp scheme,
except Applerod, but I didn't want to know any more. You did.

"Well, you don't need wisdom. I've put one-half your fortune
where it will yield you a living income. Try to cut at least
one eye-tooth with the other half. Your trustee is instructed
to give you another start.

"YOUR LOVING FATHER."

His trustee! Once more he must face her with failure; go to her
beaten, and accept through her hands the means to gain himself another
buffeting. He had not the heart to see her now, but he was not turned
altogether coward, for leaving the scene of the late conflict
abruptly, all its humor spoiled for him, he telephoned her what had
happened and that he would be out in the evening.

"No, you must come now. I want you," she gently insisted, and when he
had come to her she went directly to him and put both her hands upon
his shoulders.

"It wasn't fair, Bobby; it wasn't fair!" she cried. "None of it is
fair, and your father had no right to bind me down with promises when
you need me so. I'm willing to break them all. Bobby, I'll marry you
to-morrow if you say so."

He drew a long, trembling breath, and then he put his hand