The Broad Highway

"You never saw your father to remember, did you?"

"No, Sir Richard."

"Nor your mother?"

"Nor my mother."

"Poor boy--poor boy!"

"You knew my mother?"

"Yes, Peter, I knew your mother," said Sir Richard, staring very

hard at the chair again, and I saw that his mouth had grown

wonderfully tender. "Yours has been a very secluded life hitherto,

Peter," he went on after a moment.

"Entirely so," said I, "with the exception of my

never-to-be-forgotten visits to the Hall."

"Ah, yes, I taught you to ride, remember."

"You are associated with every boyish pleasure I ever knew," said

I, laying my hand upon his arm. Sir Richard coughed and grew

suddenly red in the face.

"Why--ah--you see, Peter," he began, picking up his riding whip

and staring at it, "you see your uncle was never very fond of

company at any time, whereas I--"

"Whereas you could always find time to remember the lonely boy

left when all his companions were gone on their holidays--left to

his books and the dreary desolation of the empty schoolhouse, and

echoing cloisters--"

"Pooh!" exclaimed Sir Richard, redder than ever. "Bosh!"

"Do you think I can ever forget the glorious day when you drove

over in your coach and four, and carried me off in triumph, and

how we raced the white-hatted fellow in the tilbury--?"

"And beat him!" added Sir Richard.

"Took off his near wheel on the turn," said I.

"The fool's own fault," said Sir Richard.

"And left him in the ditch, cursing us!" said I.

"Egad, yes, Peter! Oh, but those were fine horses and though I

say it, no better team in the south country. You'll remember the

'off wheeler' broke his leg shortly after and had to be shot,

poor devil."

"And later, at Oxford," I began.

"What now, Peter?" said Sir Richard, frowning darkly.

"Do you remember the bronze vase that used to stand on the

mantelpiece in my study?"

"Bronze vase?" repeated Sir Richard, intent upon his whip again.

"I used to find bank-notes in it after you had visited me,

and when I hid the vase they turned up just the same in most

unexpected places."

"Young fellow--must have money--necessary--now and then,"

muttered Sir Richard.

At this juncture, with a discreet knock, the butler appeared to

announce that Sir Richard's horse was waiting. Hereupon the

baronet, somewhat hastily, caught up his hat and gloves, and I

followed him out of the house and down the steps.