which was so
attractive, but rather the intelligence, the personality that shone
through it, as the light shines through the horn panes of some homely,
massive lantern. Speculative eyes of the sort that seem to search
horizons and gather knowledge there, but shrink from the faces of women;
a head of brown hair, short cut but untidy, an athletic, manlike form to
which, bizarrely enough, a slight stoop, the stoop of a student, seemed
to give distinction, and hands slender and shapely as those of an
Eastern--such were the characteristics of Morris Monk, or at least those
of them that the observer was apt to notice.

"Hullo! Morris, are you star-gazing there?" said Colonel Monk, with a
yawn. "I suppose that I must have fallen asleep after dinner--that comes
of stopping too long at once in the country and drinking port. I notice
you never touch it, and a good thing, too. There, my cigar is out. Now's
the time for that new electric lighter of yours which I can never make
work."

Morris fumbled in his pocket and produced the lighter. Then he said:

"I am sorry, father; but I believe I forgot to charge it."

"Ah! that's just like you, if you will forgive my saying so. You take
any amount of trouble to invent and perfect a thing, but when it comes
to making use of it, then you forget," and with a little gesture of
impatience the Colonel turned aside to light a match from a box which he
had found in the pocket of his cape.

"I am sorry," said Morris, with a sigh, "but I am afraid it is true.
When one's mind is very fully occupied with one thing----" and he broke
off.

"Ah! that's it, Morris, that's it," said the Colonel, seating himself
upon a garden chair; "this hobby-horse of yours is carrying you--to the
devil, and your family with you. I don't want to be rough, but it is
time that I spoke plain. Let's see, how long is it since you left the
London firm?"

"Nine years this autumn," answered Morris, setting his mouth a little,
for he knew what was coming. The port drunk after claret had upset
his father's digestion and ruffled his temper. This meant that to
him--Morris--Fate had appointed a lecture.

"Nine years, nine wasted years, idled and dreamt away in a village upon
the eastern coast. It is a large slice out of a man's life, my boy. By
the time that I was your age I had done a good deal," said his father,
meditatively. When he meant to be disagreeable it was the Colonel's
custom to become reflective.

"I can't a