"I understand. It's a man's business."

"Yes," said Dick, with the simple masculine superiority of four and

twenty. "That's enough of a background for life, you see; but I long

since made up my mind that public affairs--affairs that concern the

whole community--are to be my real interest."

"So you're going into politics, Dick?" said the older man slowly.

"Well, not to scramble for office," Percival answered with a flush. "We

fellows have been well-enough taught, haven't we, Ellery? to know that

it is rather an ugly mess--I mean municipal affairs in this country. The

local situation, here in St. Etienne, I have yet to study; and I don't

mean to lose any time in beginning."

Mr. Elton made no reply for a moment, and when he spoke there was an

unpleasant cynicism in his voice that galled Dick's pride.

"The young reformer! Well, I suppose a decent man with a little ability

could do something here, if he knew what he was going to do. It's a good

thing to get on your sea-legs before you try to command a ship."

"Father!" Madeline cried out, unable to contain herself. "Don't you be a

horrid wet blanket!"

The three looked at her to see her face aglow with the lovely feminine

belief in masculinity that also belongs to the early twenties.

"That's all right," said the elder Elton unemotionally. "I wasn't

wet-blanketing--I know things are needed. There's plenty of corruption

wanting to be buried, and most of us are content to hold our noses and

let it lie. Or perhaps we give an exclamation of disgust when it is

served up in the newspapers. Reform if you must, but don't reform all

day and Sundays too; and build your cellars before you begin your

attics."

Then he went on a shade more heartily: "It's a mighty good thing for

some of you young fellows to be going into politics; perhaps that's the

chief work for the next generation. And Norris--what of you?"

Ellery started. It had been a silent evening for him, but his silence

had glowed with interest, not so much in the conversation as in his own

thoughts. Two things had forced themselves home,--the first when he

looked down on that expanse of vivid water, vivid sky, vivid green. Here

a man, even a young man, might waken to all his faculties and make

something of life. He need not plod dully through years, to reach

success only when he is old and tired. The landscape poured like wine

into Ellery Norris' veins.

And now here was the other side. He had watched with fascination the

restfulness of Miss Elton's hands, the one that held her mother's, the

one that lay quietly in her lap. He watched her steady eyes that kept

upon her father and Dick as they talked. He saw her face glow with

sympathy and interest and yet remain calm, as if secure in the goodness

of the world; and he told himself that he was glad this wonderful thing

belonged to Dick. Dick's restlessness would be held in leash, as it

were, by this steadfastness.




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