〃There　are　lessons　to　doand　father　wants　to　read　his　newspaper　in
  quiet。〃
  This　brought　a　protest　from　Biddy。
  〃Just　a　little　more；　mother！　　Can't　we　go　into　the　schoolroom？　　We　shan't
  disturb　father　there。〃
  〃I'll　read　to　thema　few　minutes；〃　I　said。
  As　I　took　the　volume　from　her　and　sat　down　Maude　shot　at　me　a　swift　look
  of　surprise。　　Even　Matthew　glanced　at　me　curiously；　and　in　his　glance　I
  had；　as　it　were；　a　sudden　revelation　of　the　boy's　perplexity　concerning
  me。　　He　was　twelve；　rather　tall　for　his　age；　and　the　delicate　modelling
  of　his　face　resembled　my　father's。　　He　had　begun　to　think。。　　What　did　he
  think　of　me？
  Biddy　clapped　her　hands；　and　began　to　dance　across　the　carpet。
  〃Father's　going　to　read　to　us；　father's　going　to　read　to　us；〃　she　cried；
  finally　clambering　up　on　my　knee　and　snuggling　against　me。
  〃Where　is　the　place？〃　I　asked。
  But　Maude　had　left　the　room。　　She　had　gone　swiftly　and　silently。
  〃I'll　find　it；〃　said　Moreton。
  I　began　to　read；　but　I　scarcely　knew　what　I　was　reading；　my　fingers
  tightening　over　Biddy's　little　knee。。。。
  Presently　Miss　Allsop；　the　governess；　came　in。　　She　had　been　sent　by
  Maude。　　There　was　wistfulness　in　Biddy's　voice　as　I　kissed　her　good
  night。
  〃Father；　if　you　would　only　read　oftener！〃　she　said；　〃I　like　it　when　you
  readbetter　than　anyone　else。〃。。。。
  Maude　and　I　were　alone　that　night。　　As　we　sat　in　the　library　after　our
  somewhat　formal；　perfunctory　dinner；　I　ventured　to　ask　her　why　she　had
  gone　away　when　I　had　offered　to　read。
  〃I　couldn't　bear　it；　Hugh；〃　she　answered。
  〃Why？〃　I　asked；　intending　to　justify　myself。
  She　got　up　abruptly；　and　left　me。　　I　did　not　follow　her。　　In　my　heart　I
  understood　why。。。。
  Some　years　had　passed　since　Ralph's　prophecy　had　come　true；　and　Perry　and
  the　remaining　Blackwoods　had　been　〃relieved〃　of　the　Boyne　Street　line。
  The　process　need　not　be　gone　into　in　detail；　being　the　time…honoured　one
  employed　in　the　Ribblevale　affair　of　〃running　down〃　the　line；　or　perhaps
  it　would　be　better　to　say　〃showing　it　up。〃　　It　had　not　justified　its
  survival　in　our　efficient　days；　it　had　held　outthanks　to　Perrywith
  absurd　and　anachronous　persistence　against　the　inevitable　consolidation。
  Mr。　Tallant's　newspaper　had　published　many　complaints　of　the　age　and
  scarcity　of　the　cars；　etc。；　and　alarmed　holders　of　securities；　in　whose
  vaults　they　had　lain　since　time　immemorial；　began　to　sell。。。。　　I　saw
  little　of　Perry　in　those　days；　as　I　have　explained；　but　one　day　I　met　him
  in　the　Hambleton　Building；　and　he　was　white。
  〃Your　friends　are　doing　thus；　Hugh；〃　he　said。
  〃Doing　what？〃
  〃Undermining　the　reputation　of　a　company　as　sound　as　any　in　this　city；　a
  company　that's　not　overcapitalized；　either。　　And　we're　giving　better
  service　right　now　than　any　of　your　consolidated　lines。〃。。。
  He　was　in　no　frame　of　mind　to　argue　with；　the　conversation　was　distinctly
  unpleasant。　　I　don't　remember　what　I　said
  sething　to　the　effect　that　he　was　excited；　that　his　language　was
  extravagant。　　But　after　he　had　walked　off　and　left　me　I　told　Dickinson
  that　he　ought　to　be　given　a　chance；　and　one　of　our　younger　financiers；
  Murphree；　went　to　Perry　and　pointed　out　that　he　had　nothing　to　gain　by
  obstruction；　if　he　were　only　reasonable；　he　might　come　into　the　new
  corporation　on　the　same　terms　with　the　others。
  All　that　Murphree　got　for　his　pains　was　to　be　ordered　out　of　the　office
  by　Perry；　who　declared　that　he　was　being　bribed　to　desert　the　other
  stockholders。
  〃He　utterly　failed　to　see　the　point　of　view；〃　Murphree　reported　in　some
  astonishment　to　Dickinson。
  〃What　else　did　he　say？〃　Mr。　Dickinson　asked。
  Murphree　hesitated。
  〃Wellwhat？〃　the　banker　insisted。
  〃He　wasn't　quite　himself；〃　said　Murphree；　who　was　a　comparative　newcomer
  in　the　city　and　had　a　respect　for　the　Blackwood　name。　　〃He　said　that　that
  was　the　custom　of　thieves：　when　they　were　discovered；　they　offered　to
  divide。　　He　swore　that　he　would　get　justice　in　the　courts。〃
  Mr。　Dickinson　smiled。。。。
  Thus　Perry；　through　his　obstinacy　and　inability　to　adapt　himself　to　new
  conditions；　had　gradually　lost　both　caste　and　money。　　He　resigned　from
  the　Boyne　Club。　　I　was　rather　sorry　for　him。　　Tom　naturally　took　the
  matter　to　heart；　but　he　never　spoke　of　it；　I　found　that　I　was　seeing　less
  of　him；　though　we　continued　to　dine　there　at　intervals；　and　he　still　came
  to　my　house　to　see　the　children。　　Maude　continued　to　see　Lucia。　　For　me；
  the　situation　would　have　been　more　awkward　had　I　been　less　occupied；　had
  my　relationship　with　Maude　been　a　closer　one。　　Neither　did　she　mention
  Perry　in　those　days。　　The　income　that　remained　to　him
  being　sufficient　for　him　and　his　family　to　live　on　comfortably；　he　began
  to　devote　most　of　his　time　to　various　societies　of　a　semipublic　nature
  untilin　the　spring　of　which　I　write　his　activities　suddenly　became
  concentrated　in　the　organization　of　a　〃Citizens　Union；〃　whose　avowed
  object　was　to　make　a　campaign　against　〃graft〃　and　political　corruption
  the　following　autumn。　　This　announcement　and　the　call　for　a　mass…meeting
  in　Kingdon　Hall　was　received　by　the　newspapers　with　a　good…natured
  ridicule；　and　in　influential　quarters　it　was　generally　hinted　that　this
  was　Mr。　Blackwood's　method　of　〃getting　square〃　for　having　been　deprived
  of　the　Boyne　Street　line。　　It　was　quite　characteristic　of　Ralph　Hambleton
  that　he　should　go；　out　of　curiosity；　to　the　gathering　at　Kingdon　Hall；
  and　drop　into　my　office　the　next　morning。
  〃Well；　Hughie；　they're　after　you；〃　he　said　with　a　grin。
  〃After　me？　　Why　not　include　yourself？〃
  He　sat　down　and　stretched　his　long　legs　and　his　long　arms；　and　smiled　as
  he　gaped。
  〃Oh；　they'll　never　get　me；〃　he　said。　　And　I　knew；　as　I　gazed　at　him；　that
  they　never　would。
  〃What　sort　of　things　did　they　say？〃　I　asked。
  〃Haven't　you　read　the　Pilot　and　the　Mail　and　State？〃
  〃I　just　glanced　over　them。　　Did　they　call　names？〃
  〃Call　names！　　I　should　say　they　did。　　They　got　drunk　on　it；　worked
  themselves　up　like　dervishes。　　They　didn't　cuss　you　personally；that'll
  come　later；　of　course。　　Judd　Jason　got　the　heaviest　shot；　but　they　said
  he　couldn't　exist　a　minute　if　it　wasn't　for　the　'respectable'　crowd
  capitalists；　financiers；　millionaires　and　their　legal　tools。　　Fact　is；
  they　spoke　a　good　deal　of　truth；　first　and　last；　in　a　fool　kind　of　way。〃
  〃Truth！〃　I　exclaimed　irritatedly。
  Ralph　laughed。　　He　was　evidently　enjoying　himself。
  〃Is　any　of　it　news　to　you；　Hughie；　old　boy？〃
  〃It's　an　outrage。〃
  〃I　think　it's　funny；〃　said　Ralph。　　〃We　haven't　had　such　a　circus　for
  years。　　Never　had。　　Of　course　I　shouldn't　like　to　see　you　go　behind　the
  bars；not　that。　　But　you　fellows　can't　expect　to　go　on　forever　skimming
  off　the　cream　without　having　somebody　squeal　sometime。　　You　ought　to　be
  reasonable。〃
  〃You've　skimmed　as　much　cream　as　anybody　else。〃
  〃You've　skimmed　the　cream；　Hughie；you　and　Dickinson　and　Scherer　and
  Grierson　and　the　rest；I've　only　filled　my　jug。　　Well；　these　fellows　are
  going　to　have　a　regular　roof…raising　campaign；　take　the　lid　off　of
  everything；　dump　out　the　red…light　district　some　of　our　friends　are　so
  fond　of。〃
  〃Dump　it　where？〃　I　asked　curiously。
  〃Oh；〃　answered　Ralph；　〃they　didn't　say。　　Out　into　the　country；　anywhere。〃
  〃But　that's　damned　foolishness；〃　I　declared。
  〃Didn't　say　it　wasn't；〃　Ralph　admitted。　　〃They　talked　a　lot　of　that；　too；
  incidentally。　　They're　going　to　close　the　saloons　and　dance　halls　and
  make　this　city　sadder　than　heaven。　　When　they　get　through；　it'll　all　be
  over　but　the　inquest。〃
  〃What　did　Perry　do？〃　I　asked。
  〃Well；　he　opened　the　meeting；made　a　nice；　precise；　gentlemanly　speech。
  Greenhalge　and　a　few　young　highbrows　and　a　reformed　crook　named　Harrod
  did　most　of　the　hair…raising。　　They're　going　to　nominate　Greenhalge　for
  mayor；　and　he　told　'em　something　about　that　little　matter　of　the　school
  board；　and　said　he　would　talk　more　later　on。　　If　one　of　the　ablest
  lawyers　in　the　city　hadn't　been　hired　by　the　respectable　crowd　and　a　lot
  of　other　queer　work　done；　the　treasurer　and　purchasing　agent　would　be
  doing　time。　　They　seemed　to　be　interested；　all　right。〃
  I　turned　over　some　papers　on　my　desk；　just　to　show　Ralph　that　he　hadn't
  succeeded　in　disturbing　me。
  〃Who　was　in　the　audience？　anyone　you　ever　heard　of？〃　I　asked。
  〃Sure　thing。　　Your　cousin　Robert　Breck；　and　that　son…in…law　of　his
  what's　his　name？　　And　some　other　representatives　of　our　oldest　families；…
  …Alec　Pound。　　He's　a　reformer　now；　you　know。　　They　put　him　on　the
  resolutions　committee。　　Sam　Ogilvy　was　there；　he'd　be　classed　as
  respectably　conservative。　　And　one　of　the　Ewanses。　　I　could　name　a　few
  others；　if　you　pressed　me。　　That　brother　of　Fowndes　who　looks　like　an　up…
  state　minister。　　A　lot　of　womenMiller　Gorse's　sister；　Mrs。　Datchet；　who
  never　approved　of　Miller。　　Quite　a　genteel　gathering；　I　give　you　my　word；
  and　all　astonished　and　mad　as　hell　when　the　speaking　was　over。　　Mrs。
  Datchet　said　she　had　been　living　in　a　den　of　iniquity　and　vice；　and
  didn't　know　it。〃
  〃It　must　have　been　amusing；〃　I　said。
  〃It　was；〃　said　Ralph。　　〃It'll　be　more　amusing　later　on。　　Oh；　yes；　there
  was　another　fellow　who　spoke　I　forgot　to　mentionthat　queer　Dick　who　was
  in　your　class；　Krebs；　got　the