g thing. "Won't you smoke, Uncle Levi?" and he passed a
handsome silver case forward; "it's a great tie between--well, chums!"

"I've lived over sixty years without the need of that tie," Markham
returned stiffly; "I do not think I'll take it up now. I'm not much of
a preacher, but at your age, Lansing, I'd advise the collection of good
tastes and habits; let the doubtful luxuries await the years of
discretion."

Lansing pocketed his silver case and gave an embarrassed laugh. Levi
went back to his former line of argument.

"It's Cornell and the beggarly allowance," thought Lansing, but it was
no such thing.

"You are too young to go to college, Lans; too immature to really put
yourself to any final test. Your assumption of dignity proves this
more than anything else. Of course I do not know how much or how
little you know of the past, but it is necessary, from now on, that you
and I should understand each other perfectly. I was very"--Levi
struggled for composure--"very fond of your mother."

"Yes, uncle."

"And I did not want her to marry your father. I feared he would not
make her happy--he did not!"

The crisp facts came out with force but with no malignity, and Lansing
Hertford dropped his eyes as he replied:

"Aunt Olive has told me they were very uncongenial." A flush rose to
the young fellow's face. A pride, not altogether unworthy, rang in the
words and for the first time Markham detected a resemblance to the
father in the close-shut lips.

"I do not wish to say anything against your father that is avoidable,
but for your own safety and my own protection I realize that you and I
must be quite open with each other."

"Yes, uncle."

"Your mother died more of a broken heart than of anything else."

The boy set his jaw.

"I know father loved life and took it as it came," he said.

A brief silence rested between the two, then Markham went on:

"Naturally you inherit from both your parents. To a certain extent,
certainly, a man, under God, is master of his life and I want to give
you the best possible choice that lies in my power, not only for your
own sake and mine, but for your mother's and--yes! your father's!"

"Thank you, Uncle Levi."

And now the boy's eyes were raised once more. They swept the room,
Markham's face, and then travelled to the broad acres in rich
cultivation as far as one could see.

"You have had too much pleasure and luxury, Lans; things have come too
easily.