the satisfaction of
knowing that we have done all we could do to preserve his life."

"Certainly, my dear madam; you may comfort yourself by that thought,"
said the physician.

"Why did you not send for me before?" asked Jasper, turning with moist
eyes to his step-mother, "that I might see my father before he died?"

"We could not foresee his sudden death," said Mrs. Kent. "How do you
happen to be here this afternoon?"

"Didn't you direct Margaret to telegraph for me?" asked Jasper,
surprised.

"Did Margaret take upon herself to telegraph to you?" asked Mrs. Kent,
in a tone of displeasure.

"Yes," said Jasper, bitterly. "Did you mean to keep me wholly
unacquainted with my father's illness?"

"No; I wrote a line this afternoon, which I should have sent to the
office at once."

"When it was too late!"

"Your reproaches are unseemly and uncalled for," said his step-mother,
quite coldly.

"I think differently," said Jasper, bitterly. "You should have sent for
me as soon as my father got worse than usual."

"In consideration of your grief I will overlook your impertinence," said
Mrs. Kent, compressing her thin lips, as she left the room.

The doctor followed her out, and Jasper was left alone with the dead.

He did not realize it, but his father's death was to seriously affect
his fortunes.

CHAPTER IX.

A DECLARATION OF WAR.

Half an hour later Jasper left the room where his father lay dead. He
did not seek the presence of his step-mother, who, he felt, had done him
wrong in keeping from him his father's condition. He went instead to the
kitchen, where he found Margaret.

"This is a sad day for you, Master Jasper," said the sympathizing
servant.

"It is, indeed, Margaret. I have lost my best friend."

"True for you."

"But for your telegram, I should not have known even now that he was
dangerously ill, I thought at first Mrs. Kent asked you to telegraph."

"No, she didn't. I asked her would she send for you, and she told me it
was none of my business."

"It was lucky you didn't heed her," said Jasper. "She is a cold,
unfeeling woman."

"That she is, Master Jasper," assented Margaret, with emphasis.

"How long has my father been so sick?"

"For a week or more, but he took a sudden turn at the last. I think he
got worse after the new doctor came."

"I wanted to ask you about that. Why was Dr. Graham dismissed? He has
attended my father for years."

"Shall I tell you what I think,