losing
any money by it.

When noon sounded he went home, resolved to do whatever lay in his
power to make the men feel that they were regarded as something more
than machines.

George was downstairs when his father came in, and looked at him with
curiosity rather than with any feeling of shame for the scene of the
night before. After lunch was over, Mr. Hardy called his son into the
study for a little talk with him before going down to the funeral.

"I do not need to tell you, George," began his father quietly but with
feeling, "that I felt the disgrace of your drunkenness last night very
bitterly. You cannot know the feelings of your father and mother in
that respect. But I did not call you in here to reproach you for your
vices. I want to know what you intend to do in the face of the present
conditions."

Mr. Hardy paused, then went on again: "I am perfectly aware, George,
that you regard my dream as a fancy, and think I am probably out of my
mind. Isn't that true?" Mr. Hardy looked George full in the face, and
the young man stammered:

"Well--I--ah--yes--I--don't just understand----"

"At the same time," went on his father, "I realise that nothing but a
conviction of reality could produce the change in me which you and all
the rest of the family must acknowledge has taken place. And you must
confess that I am acting far more rationally than I did before my dream
occurred. It is not natural for a father to neglect his own children,
and I have done it. It is not rational that he should spend his time
and money and strength on himself so as to grow intensely selfish, and
I have done that. My son, you may doubt me, but I am firmly convinced
that I shall not be alive here after next Sunday. I am trying to live
as I ought to live under those conditions. My son," Mr. Hardy spoke
with a dignity and a certain impressiveness which George could not but
feel, "I want you to do as you know you ought to do under the
circumstances. When I am gone, your mother and the girls will look to
you for advice and direction. You will probably have to leave college
for a little while. We will talk that over this evening. But I want
you to promise me that you will not touch another glass of liquor or
handle another card as long as you live."

George laughed a little uneasily, and then lied outright: "I don't see
the harm of a game once in a while just for fun. I don't play for
stakes as some fellows do."

"George,"