to see him again, and he would
take him to dine at some obscure place this first evening. But this was
not Lin's plan. Frank must dine with him, at the Parker House. Frank
demurred, saying it was he that should be host.

"And," he added, "they charge up high for wines at Parker's." Then for
the twentieth time he shifted a sidelong eye over his brother's clothes.

"You're goin' to take your grub with me," said Lin. "That's all right, I
guess. And there ain't any 'no' about it. Things is not the same like
as if father was livin'--(his voice softened)--and here to see me come
home. Now I'm good for several dinners with wines charged up high, I
expect, nor it ain't nobody in this world, barrin' just Lin McLean, that
I've any need to ask for anything. 'Mr. McLean,' says I to Lin, 'can
yu' spare me some cash?' 'Why, to be sure, you bet!' And we'll start off
with steamed Duxbury clams." The cow-puncher slapped his pocket, where
the coin made a muffled chinking. Then he said, gruffly, "I suppose
Swampscott's there yet?"

"Yes," said Frank. "It's a dead little town, is Swampscott."

"I guess I'll take a look at the old house tomorrow," Lin pursued.

"Oh, that's been pulled down since--I forget the year they improved that
block."

Lin regarded in silence his brother, who was speaking so jauntily of the
first and last home they had ever had.

"Seventy-nine is when it was," continued Frank. "So you can save the
trouble of travelling away down to Swampscott."

"I guess I'll go to the graveyard, anyway," said the cow-puncher in his
offish voice, and looking fixedly in front of him.

They came into Washington Street, and again the elder McLean uneasily
surveyed the younger's appearance.

But the momentary chill had melted from the heart of the genial Lin.
"After to-morrow," said he, laying a hand on his brother's shoulder,
"yu' can start any lead yu' please, and I guess I can stay with yu'
pretty close, Frank."

Frank said nothing. He saw one of the members of his club on the other
side of the way, and the member saw him, and Frank caught diverted
amazement on the member's face. Lin's hand weighed on his shoulder, and
the stress became too great. "Lin," said he, "while you're running with
our crowd, you don't want to wear that style of hat, you know."

It may be that such words can in some way be spoken at such a time, but
not in the way that these were said. The frozen fact was irrevocably
revealed in the tone of Frank'