help you, but I won't or your son either, no, or
the lady."

"Indeed?" inquired my father. "Pray go on, Jason. I had forgotten you
were diverting, or is it one of your latest virtues."

A slight crease appeared between my uncle's eyes, and his face became a
trifle redder.

"So you still are jovial," he said. "I admire you for it, George. Yes, I
admire you, because of course you know what is going to happen to you,
George, and to your son also. Perhaps you will wipe away that smirk of
yours when a French firing squad backs you against a wall."

My father adjusted the bandage on his arm, and smiled, but his eyes had
become bright and glassy.

"So you have quite decided to send me to France, Jason?" he inquired
pleasantly. "Of course, I suspected it from the first. I knew you hated
me, and naturally my son. I knew you never felt the same after our
little falling out, when I found you forging--what am I saying?--reading
the letter I sent to Mr. Aiken. Gad! but your face was pasty then, you
sly dog--"

He paused and took a step toward him. He was a different man when he
continued. It seemed as though some resistance in him was breaking down,
as though the years of repression were falling away. A hot, dull red had
come into his cheeks, and burned there like a fever. His whole body
trembled, shaken by some emotion which I could not fathom. His voice grew
sharp and discordant, his words hot and triumphant.

"Almost as pasty as when you challenged me to produce those damned bales
of fur. Do you remember, Jason? The party here at this house--the music,
the flowers? Oh, they were all there! And of course I had put the
shavings on my boat. You could prove it, and you could too, Lawton, do
you remember? And you could swear to it, and you could swear I had
cheated you before, that I had stolen your card money. Oh, you caught me.
You brought the wolf to bay and drew the sword of justice!"

Mr. Lawton half started from his seat.

"Be still, Shelton," he snapped, "or I'll have them gag you."

My father clenched his fist, drew a deep breath, and his voice lost its
strident note.

"Ah, Lawton, Lawton," he said. "Will you always be impetuous? Will you
never be subtle, but always crude, always the true rough diamond with the
keen edge? No, you won't gag me, Lawton.

"And so you will send me to France, Jason, and my son too, criminals to
justice. It is thoughtful of you to think of justice, but tell me, Jason.
Is it I you hate