d complacently told Hamlen on that eventful first visit. Was it not
presumption on his part when until now his own vision had been equally
restricted? Huntington's first impulse was to make a frank admission,
when Hamlen arrived, of the wide divergence between what people credited
to him and what his real position ought to be; then he realized that his
friend needed some one to look up to. He must, for a time at least,
accept the position, however ironical it seemed; but he felt himself an
impostor and a fraud.

Since his return home Huntington had been more than ever grateful for
the diverting influence of Billy's irresponsibility, and he encouraged
him to come frequently to the house and to bring his friends with him.
He would not have believed that a two months' absence could produce so
momentous a change of his entire viewpoint. The calm tranquillity in his
mental equipoise was seriously disturbed, and he welcomed anything which
took his mind off himself and his personal affairs.

He had urged Billy to bring young Thatcher in to dine with him, for in
view of what Marian had said he hoped that Hamlen and the boy would make
good with each other when once they met. Thus far Billy had always
selected an evening when Huntington was engaged, but with the certainty
that Hamlen would soon arrive a special effort produced a mutually
convenient date, and the two boys appeared eager for their dinner and
obviously ready to be entertained.

Philip Thatcher carried himself better than his friend, and seemed
older. His work on the crew had developed his frame and given him a
poise which does not come to those college students who watch athletic
sports from the side-lines. He had represented his university in
competition, and this responsibility showed itself to his advantage.
Those same "animal spirits" which gave Billy his boyish manner found a
natural outlet, in Philip's case, during the hours of physical athletic
training. His face was more his father's than like Mrs. Thatcher's; yet
at times Huntington discovered expressions or mannerisms resembling his
sister, which was enough to add to the interest he had already taken in
the boy.

"Hello, Uncle Monty!" Billy announced their arrival. "We've come in to
eat ourselves out of shape."

When this operation had been performed, and the coffee period took them
back to the library, Huntington settled down to the real purpose of the
evening.

"Philip," he said, "there is a man c