The door opened, and he turned, frowning at the interruption, and then
sprang up with a troubled eye. It was his father certainly; but what a
remarkable change since he had seen him last! For the first time Andrew
realized the full enormity of his conduct in growing younger. His very
appearance had become a crying scandal.

"Sweating away at your old papers?" inquired Heriot pleasantly.

Andrew stiffly resumed his seat.

"Yes, I am busy," he replied, and took up the pleadings again.

But his father ignored the hint. Straddling comfortably before the fire,
he remarked--

"Frank and I have been up to Perthshire."

Andrew looked up quickly, but merely answered--

"Oh, indeed?"

"We've been seeing Ellen."

"What about?"

Mr. Walkingshaw threw himself into a chair.

"My boy," said he, with the air of friendly commiseration which he felt
that the occasion undoubtedly demanded, "I find I was right about your
rival."

Andrew remained calm, though not quite so calm as before.

"Do you mean there's some one else after her?"

"He's got her."

The calm departed.

"Got! What the deuce d'ye mean?"

"She has chosen another, Andrew."

"Chosen! But she's no choice left her. She's engaged to me."

"She was engaged to you. She's now engaged to him."

"To _him_? Who the dev--er--what are you driving at? Who's the man?"

"Frank."

"Frank!"

Andrew stared at his father incredulously.

"I don't believe a word of it."

"Well, you may ask Frank if you like; but I assure you you can take my
word for it."

It was characteristic of Andrew's robust mind that, instead of wasting
time in noisy vaporings and sentimental sorrow, it seized at once the
weak point in the case.

"But he can't afford to marry."

"Oh, I'll see to that."

"_You'll_ see!" shouted Andrew. "Do you mean to say _you've_ had a
finger in the pie?"

"Four fingers and a thumb," smiled his parent.

Once more Andrew, without waste of words in expostulation or commentary,
summarized the situation in a sentence--

"This is fair damnable!"

"Come, come, my dear fellow," said Mr. Walkingshaw soothingly. "I owe
you an explanation, of course, but when you've heard it, I know you'll
agree I've done the right thing."

"An explanation!" exclaimed Andrew sardonically. "Go on, let's hear it."

"I can give you the gist of it in a sentence: she loves Frank, and she
doesn't love you. Now, in that case, which of you ought she to marry?"

"That's noth