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ld him； you know； that I hadn't done a peg of study for a year； and it brought on a scene that almost shook the roof。 Now he swears I'm to go to the university next fall or hang。〃
〃Well； I'd go； by all means。〃
〃What under heaven could I do there？ All those confounded languages Morrison poured into my head haven't left so much as a single letter of the alphabet。 Ad nauseam is all I learned of Latin。 I tell you I'd rather be a storekeeper any time than a scholarbooks make me sick all overand； when it comes to that； I don't believe I know much more to…day than you do。〃
A smile crossed Christopher's face； leaving it very grim。 The words recalled to him his own earlier ambitionthat of the gentlemanly scholar of the old orderand there flickered before his eyes the visionary library； suffused with firelight； and the translation of the 〃Iliad〃 he had meant to finish。
〃I always told you it wasn't worth anything；〃 he said roughly。 〃She'd love you any better if you could spurt Greek？〃
Will broke into a pleased laugh； his mind dwelling upon the fancy the other had conjured up so skilfully。
〃Did you ever see such lips in your life？〃 he inquired。
Christopher shook his head。 〃I haven't noticed them； but Sol's have a way of sticking in my memory。〃
〃Oh； you brute！ It's a shame that she should have such a father。 He's about the worst I ever met。〃
〃Some think the shame is on the other side； you know。〃
〃That's a lieshe told me so。 Fred Turner started the whole thing because she refused to marry him at the last moment。 She found out suddenly that she wasn't in love with him。 Girls are like that； you see。 Why； Maria〃 Christopher looked up quickly。 〃I've nothing to do with your sister；〃 he observed。 〃I know that； but it's true； all the same。 Maria couldn't tell her own mind any better。 Why； one day she was declaring that she was over head and ears in love with Jack； and the next she was wringing her hands and begging him to go away。〃 〃What are you going to do down at the store？〃 asked Christopher abruptly。 〃Oh； nothing in particularjust lounge； I suppose； there's never anything to do。 By the way； can't we have a hunt to…morrow？〃 〃I'll see about it。 Look here； is your grandfather any worse than usual？ He stormed at me like mad yesterday because I wouldn't turn my team of oxen out of the road。〃 〃It's like blasting rock to get a decent word out of him。 The only time he's been good…humoured for four years was the week we were away together。 He offered me five thousand dollars down if I'd never speak to you again。〃 〃You don't say so！〃 exclaimed Christopher。 He bent his head and stood looking thoughtfully at the matted straw under foot。 〃Well； you had a chance to turn a pretty penny；〃 he said； in a tone of gentle raillery。 〃Oh； hang it！ What do you mean？〃 demanded Will。 〃Of course； I wasn't going back on you like that just to please grandpa。 I'd have been a confounded sneak if I had！〃 〃You're a jolly good chap and no mistake！ But the old man would have been pleased； I reckon？〃 Will grinned。
〃You bet he would！ I could twist him round my finger but for you； Aunt Saidie says。〃 〃It will be all the same in the end； though。 The whole thing will come to you some day。〃 〃Oh； yes。 Maria got her share； and Wyndham has made ducks and drakes of it。〃 〃Your grandfather's aging； too； isn't he？〃
〃Rather；〃 returned Will； with a curious mixture of amiable lightness and cool brutality。 〃He's gone off at least twenty years since that time I had pneumonia in your barn。 That wrecked him； Aunt Saidie says； and all because he knew he'd have to put up with you when the doctor told him to let me have my way。 His temper gets worse； too； all the time。 I declare； he sometimes makes me wish he were dead and buried。〃 〃Oh； he'll live long enough yet； never fearthose wiry； cross…grained people are as tough as lightwood knots。 It's a pity； though； he wants to bully you like thatit would kill me in a day。〃 A flush mounted to Will's forehead。 〃I knew you'd think so；〃 he said； 〃and it's what I tell him all the time。 He's got no business meddling with me so much； and I won't stand it。〃 〃He ought to get a dog；〃 suggested Christopher indifferently。 〃Well； I'm not a dog； and I'll make him understand it yet。 Oh； you think I'm an awful milksop； of course； but I'll show you otherwise some day。 I'd like to know if you could have done any better in my place？〃 〃Done！ Why； I shouldn't have been in your place long； that's all。〃 〃I shan't； either； for that matter； but I've got to humour him a little； you see； because he holds the purse…strings。〃 〃He'd never go so far as to kick you out； would he？〃 〃Well； hardly。 I'm all he has； you know。 He doesn't like Maria because of her fine airs； much as he thinks of education。 I've got to be a gentleman； he says； but as for him； he wouldn't give up one of his vulgar habits to save anybody's soul。 His trouble with Maria all came of her reproving him for drinking out of his saucer。 Now； I don't mind that kind of thing so much； but Maria used to say she'd rather have him steal； any day； than gulp his coffee。 Why are you laughing so？〃 〃Oh； nothing。 Are you going to Tom's now？ I've got to work。〃 Will slid down from the big box and sauntered toward the door； pausing on the little wooden step to light a cigarette。 〃Drop in if you get a chance；〃 he threw back over his shoulder； with a puff of smoke。 In a few moments Christopher finished his work； and； coming outside； closed the stable door。 Then he walked a few paces along the little path stopping from time to time to gaze across the darkening landscape。 A light mist was wreathed about the tops of the old lilac…bushes； where it glimmered so indistinctly that it seemed as if one might dispel it by a breath； and farther away the soft evening colours had settled over the great fields； beyond which a clear yellow line was just visible above the distant woods。 The wind was sharp with an edge of frost； and as it blew into his face he raised his head and drank long； invigorating drafts。 From the cattle…pen hard by he smelled the fresh breath of the cows； and around him were those other odours； vague； familiar； pleasant； which are loosened at twilight in the open country。 The time had been when the mere physical contact with the air would have filled him with a quiet satisfaction； but during the last four years he had lost gradually his sensitiveness to external thingsto the changes of the seasons as to the beauties of an autumn sunrise。 A clear morning had ceased to arouse in him the old buoyant energy； and he had lost the zest of muscular exertion which had done so much to sweeten his labour in the fields。 It was as if a clog fettered his simplest no less than his greatest emotion； and his enjoyment of nature had grown dull and spiritless； like his affection for his family。 With his sisters he was aware that a curious constraint had become apparent； and it was no longer possible for him to meet his mother with the gay deference she still exacted。 There were times； even； when he grew almost suspicious of Cynthia's patience； and at such moments his irritation was manifested in a sullen reserve。 To himself he could give no explanation of his state of mind； he knew merely that he retreated day by day f