re wrong. At any rate,
since you have come it is a pity you were not here earlier, so that you
could have been present at the ceremony. It was quite private, as your
father can tell you."

"Yes, Jasper, there were no invitations issued," said his father.

"I wish that I had come earlier," said Jasper, slowly.

"At any rate, now that you are here," said Mrs. Kent, with well-feigned
cordiality, for it was politic to keep on good terms with Jasper, since
he was his father's favorite, "you will stay a day or two."

"You forget, madam, the interruption to my studies," said Jasper.

"I should like to wring the boy's neck," thought Mrs. Kent, her eyes
contracting slightly, but she answered, amiably: "I am afraid I have
thought too much of that already. Let me make amends by welcoming you,
and asking you to stay as long as you can."

Mr. Kent nodded approvingly at these words of his wife.

"I ought not to complain," said Jasper, "since you treated me no worse
than you did your own son."

"Nicholas has betrayed my secret!" thought Mrs. Kent, turning pale.

"What are you talking about, Jasper?" demanded Mr. Kent, surprised. "My
wife has no son."

"Jasper means my nephew," explained Mrs. Kent, recovering her assurance.

"He said you were his mother," said Jasper.

"Yes," said Mrs. Kent, with admirable composure, "the poor boy has
always looked upon me as a mother, though such is not our relationship.
Indeed, I may say, orphan as he is, I have been a mother to him."

"And it is very much to your credit, my dear," said Mr. Kent, kindly.
"We must have him here on a visit. As Jasper's schoolmate, and your
nephew, he shall be doubly welcome."

"You are very kind, Mr. Kent," said his wife, in a tone which might well
be mistaken for that of grateful emotion. "It will, indeed, be a treat
to my poor Nicholas to come here, even for a day."

"He must spend his next vacation here, eh, Jasper? It will be pleasant
for you to have a boy of your own age here."

"Do as you like, father," said Jasper, who didn't care to say how
distasteful the proposition was to him, or to explain the nature of the
relations between Nicholas and himself.

Mrs. Kent looked at him sharply as he spoke, and understood better how
he felt. But, as he did not openly object, she was satisfied. It was
what she had wished to bring about, and she felt pleased that the
proposal had come from Mr. Kent, and that Jasper had not spoken against
it.

"I will go