y back and heard me
cursing the others because they had suddenly turned to their books.
'That will do, Mr. Bethune,' said the Chancellor; 'we have had enough
profanity for to-night.' Well, that has been the way all through. I
wanted to win rank in the army--and I did; I ranked everybody as the
king-bee of insubordination. That isn't all. Take my gait--the way I
walk; everybody thinks I hold my head up and swagger because I am vain.
But look at the matter with clear eyes, Tolliver; I walk that way
because it is natural to me. As for vanity, what on earth have I to be
vain of?"

"Well, you are young, you know," said Gabriel--"almost as young as I am;
and though you have been unlucky, that is no sign that it will always be
so."

"No, Tolliver, I am several years older than you. All your opportunities
are still to come; and if I can do nothing myself, I should like to see
you succeed. I have heard my grandfather say some fine things about
you."

Now, such talk as that, when it carries the evidence of sincerity along
with it, is bound to win a young fellow over; youth cannot resist it.
Bethune won Gabriel, and won him completely. It was so pleasing to
Gabriel to be able to have a cordial liking for Bethune that he had the
feelings of those who gain a moral victory over themselves in the matter
of some evil habit or passion. His grandmother smiled fondly on his
enthusiasm, remarking:

"Yes, Gabriel; he is certainly a fine young gentleman, and I am glad of
it for Nan's sake. He will be sure to make her happy, and she deserves
happiness as much as any human being I ever knew."

Gabriel also thought that Nan deserved to be very happy, but he could
imagine several forms of happiness that did not include marriage with
Bethune, however much he might admire his friend. And his enthusiastic
praises of Bethune ceased so suddenly that his grandmother looked at him
curiously. The truth is, her remarks about Nan and Bethune always gave
Gabriel a cold chill. His grandmother was to him the fountain-head of
wisdom, the embodiment of experience. When he was a bit of a lad, she
used to untie all the hard knots, and untangle all the tangles that
persisted in invading his large collection of string, cords and twines,
and the ease with which she did this--for the knots seemed to come
untied of their own accord, and the tangles to vanish as soon as her
fingers touched them--gave Gabriel an impression of her ability that he
never lost. Her