The head of the Lycurgus branch of the Griffiths, as contrasted with the father of the Kansas City family, was most arresting. Unlike his shorter and more confused brother of the Door of Hope, whom he had not even seenfor thirty years, he was a little above the average in height, very well-knit, although comparatively slender, shrewd of eye, and incisive¹ both as to manner and speech. Long used to contending for himself, and having comeby effort as well as results to know that he was above the average in acumen² and commercial ability, he wasinclined at times to be a bit intolerant of those who were not. He was not ungenerous or unpleasant in manner,but always striving to maintain a calm and judicial³ air. And he told himself by way of excuse for his mannerismsthat he was merely accepting himself at the value that others placed upon him and all those who, like himself, were successful.

 

Having arrived in Lycurgus about twenty-five years before with some capital and a determination to invest in anew collar enterprise which had been proposed to him, he had succeeded thereafter beyond his wildestexpectations. And naturally he was vain about it. His family at this time -- twenty-five years later -- unquestionablyoccupied one of the best, as well as the most tastefully constructed residences in Lycurgus. They were alsoesteemed as among the few best families of this region -- being, if not the oldest, at least among the mostconservative, respectable and successful in Lycurgus. His two younger children, if not the eldest⁴, were much tothe front socially in the younger and gayer set and so far nothing had happened to weaken or darken his prestige.

 

On returning from Chicago on this particular day, after having concluded several agreements there which spelledtrade harmony and prosperity for at least one year, he was inclined to feel very much at ease and on good terms with the world. Nothing had occurred to mar⁵ his trip. In his absence the Griffiths Collar and Shirt Company hadgone on as though he had been present. Trade orders at the moment were large.

 

Now as he entered his own door he threw down a heavy bag and fashionably made coat and turned to see whathe rather expected -- Bella hurrying toward him. Indeed she was his pet, the most pleasing and different and artistic⁶ thing, as he saw it, that all his years had brought to him -- youth, health, gayety, intelligence andaffection -- all in the shape of a pretty daughter.

 

"Oh, Daddy," she called most sweetly and enticingly⁷ as she saw him enter. "Is that you?" "Yes. At least it feels a little like me at the present moment. How's my baby girl?" And he opened his arms andreceived the bounding form of his last born. "There's a good, strong, healthy girl, I'll say," he announced as hewithdrew his affectionate lips from hers. "And how's the bad girl been behaving herself since I left? No fibbingthis time." "Oh, just fine, Daddy. You can ask any one. I couldn't be better." "And your mother?" "She's all right, Daddy. She's up in her room. I don't think she heard you come in." "And Myra? Is she back from Albany yet?" "Yes. She's in her room. I heard her playing just now. I just got in myself a little while ago." "Ay, hai. Gadding⁸ about again. I know you." He held up a genial⁹ forefinger¹⁰, warningly, while Bella swung ontoone of his arms and kept pace with him up the stairs to the floor above.

 

"Oh, no, I wasn't either, now," she cooed shrewdly and sweetly. "Just see how you pick on me, Daddy. I wasonly over with Sondra for a little while. And what do you think, Daddy? They're going to give up the place at Greenwood and build a big handsome bungalow¹¹ up on Twelfth Lake right away. And Mr. Finchley's going tobuy a big electric launch for Stuart and they're going to live up there next summer, maybe all the time, from Mayuntil October. And soare the Cranstons, maybe."Mr. Griffiths, long used to his younger daughter's wiles¹², was interested at the moment not so much by the thought that she wished to convey -- that Twelfth Lake was more desirable, socially than Greenwood -- as he wasby the fact that the Finchleys were able to make this sudden and rather heavy expenditure¹³ for social reasons only.

 

Instead of answering Bella he went on upstairs and into his wife's room. He kissed Mrs. Griffiths, looked in uponMyra, who came to the door to embrace him, and spoke¹⁴ of the successful nature of the trip. One could see by theway he embraced his wife that there was an agreeable understanding between them -- no disharmony -- by the way he greeted Myra that if he did not exactly sympathize with her temperament¹⁵ and point of view, at least heincluded her within the largess of his affection.

 

As they were talking Mrs. Truesdale announced that dinner was ready, and Gilbert, having completed his toilet, now entered.#p#分页标题#e#

 

"I say, Dad," he called, "I have an interesting thing I want to see you about in the morning. Can I?" "All right, I'll be there. Come in about noon." "Come on all, or the dinner will be getting cold," admonished¹⁶ Mrs. Griffiths earnestly, and forthwith Gilbertturned and went down, followed by Griffiths, who still had Bella on his arm. And after him came Mrs. Griffithsand Myra, who now emerged from her room and joined them.

 

Once seated at the table, the family forthwith began discussing topics of current local interest. For Bella, whowas the family's chief source of gossip, gathering¹⁸ the most of it from the Snedeker School, through which all thesocial news appeared to percolate¹⁹ most swiftly, suddenly announced: "What do you think, Mamma? RosettaNicholson, that niece of Mrs. Disston Nicholson, who was over here last summer from Albany -- you know, shecame over the night of the Alumnae²⁰ Garden Party on our lawn -- you remember -- the young girl with the yellow hair and squinty²¹ blue eyes -- her father owns that big wholesale²² grocery over there -- well, she's engaged to thatHerbert Tickham of Utica, who was visiting Mrs. Lambert last summer. You don't remember him, but I do. Hewas tall and dark and sorta awkward, and awfully²³ pale, but very handsome -- oh, a regular movie hero." "There you go, Mrs. Griffiths," interjected Gilbert shrewdly and cynically²⁴ to his mother. "A delegation²⁵ from theMisses Snedeker's Select School sneaks²⁶ off to the movies to brush up on heroes from time to time."Griffiths senior suddenly observed: "I had a curious experience in Chicago this time, something I think the rest ofyou will be interested in." He was thinking of an accidental encounter two days before in Chicago between himself and the eldest son, as it proved to be, of his younger brother Asa. Also of a conclusion he had come to inregard to him.

 

"Oh, what is it, Daddy?" pleaded Bella at once. "Do tell me about it." "Spin the big news, Dad," added Gilbert, who, because of the favor of his father, felt very free and close to him always.

 

"Well, while I was in Chicago at the Union League Club, I met a young man who is related to us, a cousin of youthree children, by the way, the eldest son of my brother Asa, who is out in Denver now, I understand. I haven'tseen or heard from him in thirty years." He paused and mused²⁷ dubiously²⁸.

 

"Not the one who is a preacher somewhere, Daddy?" inquired Bella, looking up.

 

"Yes, the preacher. At least I understand he was for a while after he left home. But his son tells me he has giventhat up now. He's connected with something in Denver -- a hotel, I think." "But what's his son like?" interrogated²⁹ Bella, who only knew such well groomed³⁰ and ostensibly conservative youths and men as her present social status and supervision³¹ permitted, and in consequence was intensely interested. The son of a western hotel proprietor³²!

 

"A cousin? How old is he?" asked Gilbert instantly, curious as to his character and situation and ability.

 

"Well, he's a very interesting young man, I think," continued Griffiths tentatively and somewhat dubiously, sinceup to this hour he had not truly made up his mind about Clyde. "He's quite good-looking and well-mannered,too -- about your own age, I should say, Gil, and looks a lot like you -- very much so -- same eyes and mouth andchin." He looked at his son examiningly. "He's a little bit taller, if anything, and looks a little thinner, though Idon't believe he really is."At the thought of a cousin who looked like him -- possibly as attractive in every way as himself -- and bearing hisown name, Gilbert chilled and bristled³³ slightly. For here in Lycurgus, up to this time, he was well and favourablyknown as the only son and heir presumptive to the managerial control of his father's business, and to at least athird of the estate, if not more. And now, if by any chance it should come to light that there was a relative, acousin of his own years and one who looked and acted like him, even -- he bridled³⁴ at the thought. Forthwith (apsychic reaction which he did not understand and could not very well control) he decided³⁵ that he did not likehim -- could not like him.

 

"What's he doing now?" he asked in a curt³⁶ and rather sour tone, though he attempted to avoid the latter elementin his voice.

 

"Well, he hasn't much of a job, I must say," smiled Samuel Griffiths, meditatively³⁷. "He's only a bell-hop in theUnion League Club in Chicago, at present, but a very pleasant and gentlemanly sort of a boy, I will say. I was quite taken with him. In fact, because he told me there wasn't much opportunity for advancement³⁸ where he was, and that he would like to get into something where there was more chance to do something and be somebody, I told him that if he wanted to come on here and try his luck with us, we might do a little something for him -- givehim a chance to show what he could do, at least."He had not intended to set forth¹⁷ at once the fact that he became interested in his nephew to this extent, but -- ratherto wait and thrash it out at different times with both his wife and son, but the occasion having seemed to offeritself, he had spoken. And now that he had, he felt rather glad of it, for because Clyde so much resembled Gilberthe did want to do a little something for him.#p#分页标题#e#

 

But Gilbert bristled and chilled, the while Bella and Myra, if not Mrs. Griffiths, who favored her only son ineverything -- even to preferring him to be without a blood relation or other rival of any kind, rather warmed to theidea. A cousin who was a Griffiths and good-looking and about Gilbert's age -- and who, as their father reported,was rather pleasant and well-mannered -- that pleased Bella and Myra while Mrs. Griffiths, noting Gilbert's facedarken, was not so moved. He would not like him. But out of respect for her husband's authority and generalability in all things, she now remained silent. But not so, Bella.

 

"Oh, you're going to give him a place, are you, Dad?" she commented. "That's interesting. I hope he's better-looking than the rest of our cousins." "Bella," chided Mrs. Griffiths, while Myra, recalling a gauche³⁹ uncle and cousin who had come on from Vermontseveral years before to visit them a few days, smiled wisely. At the same time Gilbert, deeply irritated, wasmentally fighting against the idea. He could not see it at all. "Of course we're not turning away applicants⁴⁰ whowant to come in and learn the business right along now, as it is," he said sharply.

 

"Oh, I know," replied his father, "but not cousins and nephews exactly. Besides he looks very intelligent and ambitious to me. It wouldn't do any great harm if we let at least one of our relatives come here and show what hecan do. I can't see why we shouldn't employ him as well as another." "I don't believe Gil likes the idea of any other fellow in Lycurgus having the same name and looking like him,"suggested Bella, slyly, and with a certain touch of malice⁴¹ due to the fact that her brother was always criticizingher.

 

"Oh, what rot!" Gilbert snapped irritably⁴². "Why don't you make a sensible remark once in a while? What do Icare whether he has the same name or not -- or looks like me, either?" His expression at the moment wasparticularly sour.

 

"Gilbert!" pleaded his mother, reprovingly. "How can you talk so? And to your sister, too?" "Well, I don't want to do anything in connection with this young man if it's going to cause any hard feelingshere," went on Griffiths senior. "All I know is that his father was never very practical and I doubt if Clyde hasever had a real chance." (His son winced⁴³ at this friendly and familiar use of his cousin's first name.) "My onlyidea in bringing him on here was to give him a start. I haven't the faintest idea whether he would make good ornot. He might and again he might not. If he didn't -- " He threw up one hand as much as to say, "If he doesn't, we will have to toss him aside, of course." "Well, I think that's very kind of you, father," observed Mrs. Griffiths, pleasantly and diplomatically. "I hope heproves satisfactory." "And there's another thing," added Griffiths wisely and sententiously. "I don't expect this young man, so long ashe is in my employ and just because he's a nephew of mine, to be treated differently to any other employee in thefactory. He's coming here to work -- not play. And while he is here, trying, I don't expect any of you to pay himany social attention -- not the slightest. He's not the sort of boy anyhow, that would want to put himself on us -- atleast he didn't impress me that way, and he wouldn't be coming down here with any notion that he was to beplaced on an equal footing with any of us. That would be silly. Later on, if he proves that he is really worthwhile, able to take care of himself, knows his place and keeps it, and any of you wanted to show him any littleattention, well, then it will be time enough to see, but not before then."By then, the maid, Amanda, assistant to Mrs. Truesdale, was taking away the dinner plates and preparing to servethe dessert. But as Mr. Griffiths rarely ate dessert, and usually chose this period, unless company was present, tolook after certain stock and banking⁴⁴ matters which he kept in a small desk in the library, he now pushed back hischair, arose, excusing himself to his family, and walked into the library adjoining. The others remained.

 

"I would like to see what he's like, wouldn't you?" Myra asked her mother.

 

"Yes. And I do hope he measures up to all of your father's expectations. He will not feel right if he doesn't." "I can't get this," observed Gilbert, "bringing people on now when we can hardly take care of those we have. Andbesides, imagine what the bunch around here will say if they find out that our cousin was only a bell-hop beforecoming here!" "Oh, well, they won't have to know that, will they?" said Myra.

 

"Oh, won't they? Well, what's to prevent him from speaking about it -- unless we tell him not to -- or some onecoming along who has seen him there." His eyes snapped viciously. "At any rate, I hope he doesn't. It certainlywouldn't do us any good around here."And Bella added, "I hope he's not dull as Uncle Allen's two boys. They're the most uninteresting boys I ever did see." "Bella," cautioned her mother once more.#p#分页标题#e#

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