njoyed yourself."

"Reasonably well, thank you." The elder man looked about the room and
spoke complainingly. "I don't see any whiskey and soda about. Will you
please ring for some, Hamilton? I'm thirsty."

"It's there on the side-table." Hamilton followed the other with his
eyes and noted the greedy unsteadiness of the fingers that grasped the
decanter.

"Do you think you need that drink, father?" he inquired.

The elder man glanced up while the liquor spilled out of the poised
bottle--and missed the glass. "Why not?" he demanded. "It's about time
for a nightcap. I haven't had anything to speak of this evening."

Hamilton nodded with a shrug, but his brows drew themselves in a pained
wrinkle. He would not willingly admit doubt of his father's
truthfulness, yet the statement lacked all quality of conviction.

The son did not reflect that of the dry rot in old Tom's soul this
deception was a typical symptom. He knew that in the old days Tom
Burton's word had been a synonym for inflexible honesty; that it was as
good as collateral at the bank.

Then, sitting at ease, the well-groomed old gentleman held his glass
before him and gazed at the colors which the firelight wakened in its
amber contents. His face wore the contentment of one whose mood has been
artificially mellowed and whose thoughts are more glowing than reliable.
He cleared his throat and began to speak importantly.

"My boy, a great idea has come to me--a splendid conception, I may say.
I have for all these years been of very little service to you, but I now
see the way to make amends ... to, as I might say, become an asset
rather than a liability--a sharer in your activities."

Hamilton Burton was standing by the table, studying the face of his
father, and at the words his eyes darkened. His question was by no means
freighted with pleasure or expectancy as he coolly inquired, "Indeed?"

Tom Burton nodded with much gravity.

"Yes. The other day you were relating to me some matters of business
which were quite--er--interesting. I have since given them mature
thought and I find that I have evolved a method by which you may, with
my suggestions, even improve on your original plan of procedure."

"Stop!" The son wheeled and faced the elder man with a face grown
suddenly wrathful. As Tom Burton looked up in surprise, Hamilton went on
rapidly and dictatorially. "I never quarrel with my family. It is my
pleasure to regard them first in all things, but on