"Where will you sit--in the big chair by the fire or in this long
straw one?" cried the boy, Peter's coat still in his hand.
"Nowhere yet; let me look around a little." One of Peter's tests
of a man was the things he lived with. "Ah! books?" and he peered
at a row on the mantel. "Macaulay, I see, and here's Poe: Good,
very good--why, certainly it is--Where did you get this Morland?"
and again Peter's glasses went up. "Through that door is your
bedroom--yes, and the bath. Very charming, I must say. You ought
to live very happily here; few young fellows I know have half your
comforts."
Jack had interrupted him to say that the Morland print was one
that he had brought from his father's home, and that the books had
come from the same source, but Peter kept on in his tour around
the room. Suddenly he stopped and looked steadily at a portrait
over the mantel.
"Yes--your father--"
"You knew!" cried Jack.
"Knew! How could any one make a mistake? Fine head. About fifty I
should say. No question about his firmness or his kindness.
Pages:
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110