nheritance as they can. Take it from me that this {27} is
gospel truth, can't you? Your mother and I have done the best we can
for you and your sisters. You come from good stock, and by that I mean
honest blood. You've got to pass it on untainted. Now--hold on!" he
held up a warning hand as Oliver was about to interrupt hotly. "Wait
till I'm through--and then think it over. I'm not saying that Peter
Lannithorne's blood is n't as good as much that passes for untainted,
or that Ruth isn't a fine girl. I'm only telling you this: when first
you look into your son's face, every failing of your own will rise up
to haunt you because you will wish for nothing on God's earth so much
as that that boy shall have a fair show in life and be a better man
than you. You will thank Heaven for every good thing you know of in
your blood and in your wife's, and you will regret every {28}
meanness, every weakness, that he may inherit, more than you knew it
was in you to regret anything. Do you suppose when that hour comes to
you that you'll want to remember his grandfather was a convict? How
will you face that down?"

Young Oliver's face was pale. He had never thought of things like
this. He made no response for a while. At last he asked,--

"What kind of a man is Peter Lannithorne?"

"Eh? What kind of--? Oh, well, as men go, there have been worse ones.
You know how he came to get sent up. He speculated, and he borrowed
some of another man's money without asking, for twenty-four hours, to
protect his speculation. He didn't lose it, either! There's a point
where his case differs from most. He pulled the thing {29} off and
made enough to keep his family going in decent comfort, and he paid
the other money back; but they concluded to make an example of him, so
they sent him up. It was just, yes, and he said so himself. At the
same time there are a great many more dishonest men out of prison than
Peter Lannithorne, though he is in it. I meet 'em every day, and I
ought to know. But that's not the point. As you said yourself, you
don't want to marry their daughters. Heaven forbid that you should!
You want to marry his daughter. And he was weak. He was tempted and
fell, and got found out. He is a convict, and the taint sticks. The
Lord knows why the stain of unsuccessful dishonesty should stick
longer than the stain of successful dishonesty. I don't. But we know
it does. That is the way things are. Why not marry where there is no
taint?"

{30