dmit that," answered Morris, in his light, quick voice--"I
mean I can't admit that my time has either been idled away or wasted. On
the contrary, father, I have worked very hard, as I did at college,
and as I have always done, with results which, without boasting, I may
fairly call glorious--yes, glorious--for when they are perfected they
will change the methods of communication throughout the whole world."
As he spoke, forgetting the sharp vexation of the moment, his face was
irradiated with light--like some evening cloud on which the sun strikes
suddenly.

Watching him out of the corner of his eye, even in that low moonlight,
his father saw those fires of enthusiasm shine and die upon his son's
face, and the sight vexed him. Enthusiasm, as he conceived, perhaps with
justice, had been the ruin of Morris. Ceasing to be reflective, his tone
became cruel.

"Do you really think, Morris, that the world wishes to have its methods
of communication revolutionised? Aren't there enough telephones and
phonograms and aerial telegraphs already? It seems to me that you merely
wish to add a new terror to existence. However, there is no need to
pursue an academical discussion, since this wretched machine of yours,
on which you have wasted so much time, appears to be a miserable
failure."

Now, to throw the non-success of his invention into the teeth of the
inventor, especially when that inventor knows that it is successful
really, although just at present it does not happen to work, is a very
deadly insult. Few indeed could be deadlier, except, perhaps, that of
the cruelty which can suggest to a woman that no man will ever look at
her because of her plainness and lack of attraction; or the coarse
taunt which, by shameless implication, unjustly accuses the soldier of
cowardice, the diplomat of having betrayed the secrets of his country,
or the lawyer of having sold his brief. All the more, therefore, was it
to Morris's credit that he felt the lash sting without a show of temper.

"I have tried to explain to you, father," he began, struggling to free
his clear voice from the note of indignation.

"Of course you have, Morris; don't trouble yourself to repeat that long
story. But even if you were successful--which you are not--er--I cannot
see the commercial use of this invention. As a scientific toy it may be
very well, though, personally, I should prefer to leave it alone, since,
if you go firing off your thoughts and words into sp