fection drew him, as a loadstone a magnet,
to his brother's neighbourhood. He brought with him securities of the
small fortune they were to divide between them, and expected nothing but
happiness in the meeting and prosperity in his future career.
Unfortunately, a cause of dispute between the two brothers arose
instantly on Alec's arrival: there was an exceptionally good opening in
Chellaston for one of Alec's calling; the brothers took different views
concerning that calling; they had quarrelled with all the fire of warm
natures, and were parted almost as soon as met.

"And did ye think it would be pleasing to your brother to have a
tradesman of the same name and blood as himself in the same place?"
asked Bates with lack of toleration in his tone.

"That's all very fine!"--scornfully. "You know as well as I do that my
lord and my gentleman come out to this country to do what farm-hands and
cattle-men would hardly be paid to do at home--"

"When they've ruined themselves first, but not till then," Bates put in.

"And besides, old Robert sets up to be a saint. I didn't suppose he'd
look upon things in the _vulgar_ way." This reflection was cast on Bates
as one of a class. "Was I likely to suppose he'd think that to kick
one's heels on an office stool was finer than honest labour, or that my
particular kind of labour had something more objectionable about it than
any other? In old times it was the most honourable office there was.
Look at the priests of the Old Testament! Read Homer!"

"I don't know that I'm understanding ye about Homer."

"Why, hear him tell the way the animals were cut up, and the number of
them--yards and yards of it."

"But in the Bible the animals were used for sacrifice; that's very
different." Bates said this, but felt that a point had been scored
against him in the poetry of Homer; the Old Testament was primeval, but
Homer, in spite of ancient date, seemed to bring with him the authority
of modern culture.

"If they were, the people feasted upon them all the same, and the
office of preparing them was the most honourable. I'm not claiming to be
a priest (I leave that to my respected brother); I claim my right in a
new country, where Adam has to delve again, to be a butcher and a
gentleman." All his words were hot and hasty.

"But ye see," said Bates, "in the towns here, things are beginning to
regulate themselves much in the shape they take in the old country."

"My brother cares more wh