this, that it has to do with both of us, since it concerns
father."

Claude was by this time master of himself. "Look here, Thor. Are you
getting a bee in your bonnet about father?"

"Good Lord! no. But father's immersed in business. He can't be expected
to know how all the details of his policy work out. He's not young any
longer, and he isn't in touch with modern social and economic ideas."

"Oh, stow the modern social and economic ideas, and let's get to
business. What's up with this family--of--of--What-d'you-call-'ems?"

With his feet planted firmly apart, Claude swung his stick airily back
and forth across the front of his person, though he listened with
apparent attention.

"You know, Thor, as a matter of fact," he explained, when the latter had
finished his account, "that the kindest thing father can do for Fay is
to let him peter out. Fay thinks that father and the lease are the
obstacle he's up against, when in reality it's the whole thing."

"Oh, so you do know about it?"

Claude saw his mistake, and righted himself quickly. "Y-yes. Now that
you--you speak of it, I--I do. It comes--a--back to me. I've heard
father mention it."

"And what did father say?"

"Just what I'm telling you. That the lease isn't the chief factor in
Fay's troubles--isn't really a factor at all. Poor old fellow's a
dunderhead. That's where it is in a nutshell. Never could make a living.
Never will. Remember him?"

"Vaguely. Haven't seen him for years."

"Well, when you do see him you'll understand. Nice old chap as ever
lived. Only impractical, dreamy. Gentle as a sheep--and no more capable
of running that big, expensive plant than a motherly old ewe. That's
where the trouble is. When father's closed down on him and edged him
out--quietly, you understand--it'll be the best thing that ever happened
to them all."

Thor reflected. "I see that you know more about it than you thought. You
know all about it."

Again Claude caught himself up, shifting his position adroitly. "Oh no,
I don't. Just what I've heard father say. When you spoke of it at first
the name slipped my memory."

Thor reverted to the original theme. "The son's in jail. Did you know
that?"

But Claude was again on his guard. "Oh, so there's a son?"

"Son about your age. Matt his name is. Surely you must recall him. Used
to pick pease with us when Fay'd let us do it."

Claude shook his head silently.

"And there's a girl."

Claude's stick hung limply