The Coming of Bill

ing t

he tremendous events that had been taking place in his absence, he was first ir

e other hand, it was a relief to him to find that his father appeared to consider trivial a crisi

e was going

hat always had the appearance of crushing so

he?" h

d very-ah-

d s

conjectured that the audience was at an end and left the

triarchal mind, and he welcomed opportunities of exercising his authority over his children. It had always been his policy to rule them ma

ver Bailey, but it needed a definite crisis like the present one to enable him to jerk

into conflict, she alone had fought him squarely and retired with the honours of war. When his patriarchal mind had led him to bully his late wife, it was Mrs. Porter who had fought her c

, blunt and self-sufficing, and he hated her as he hated no one else. The thought that she had now come to grips with him and that h

m he classed together in one group as men who did not count, save in so far as they gave mild entertainment to the

It had never occurred to him to wonder if they were fond of him. They formed a necessary part of his household, and beyond that he was not interested in them. If he had ever

her present insubordination, was surprising, but the thing was too trivial to be a so

e stood in the doorway looking at him for a moment. Her fa

her? I-I want to t

d made up his mind to be perfectly calm and pleasant with Ruth. He had read in novels and seen on the stage situations of this kind,

it already," he said.

il

ailey tell

e with some actor or artist or ot

fancy. I do

es

was a

very angr

it over quietly. There's no n

u feel like

ter lit ano

ll about i

struggle. Her father's unexpected gentleness weakened her, exactly as he had foreseen. The plan of action which he had

it begin?

began when Aunt Lora

t the whole thing going. She is a fr

s, she seemed to k

d t

her anxiety,

she said. "I just fe

nister

h him," he repeated. "Pret

pose i

ok at him and saw he

ppose

he do? Was he

he was feeling

lling me. If it hadn't been for Bailey, he might be doing it still. Apparently, Bailey went to him and

fully at his cigar. He was

t. "I think you had better cons

t she had been played with, that all his kindliness and amiability had been merely a substitute for the

r!" sh

inued to puff sere

t it," he said. "Let's keep ri

after what you have just sai

ested to hear my re

ll argue

r waved his

e to argue. Yo

bit h

el

his name? I buy a good many pictures, but I don't remember ever signing a cheque for one of his. I read the magazines now and then, but I can't rec

ld me he had

w m

sand dolla

. I know his type. I could show you a thousand men in this city in exactly the same

el

aint colour had crept into her

do you feel that he comes out of this business? Does he show to advantag

N

ou pay these s

inter

't suppose it ever occurred to Kirk to wonder who I was and who my father might be. He has been perfectly straight. If you like to say

that you owed anythin

N

that, as your father,

was s

nister

stler yielding instead of resisting. Ruth's hard composure melted instan

dear. You're making th

emed to him that victory was in sight.

t you to be

. She felt that they were leagues apart, that

r," sh

es

u like to

customary on these occasions for the young man to present himself in person, and not le

ushed a

me here before I had seen you. I ins

cour

s voice which he did no

ainfully preserved rest

irk is afraid o

ssed my

is n

ly your wo

is the telephone. You can have him her

ot want to see him. There is no necessity. Hi

the door. Bailey burst in, ru

that infernal woman, Aunt Lora, has arrived, and says sh

ught it would be a comfort to you, Ruth, to have me with you to help explain exactly how

or the whole thing, f

nniste

o you at all. As you appear to have played a large part in this affair, I

mfortably in a chair. She drew off he

she said. "He annoys me. I cannot

ed standing. Ruth, who had risen at her aunt's entry, sat dow

, John," she said. "That is a Coro

l yo

matter. You dislike t

Have you seen

ave

sibly decide whether

th

all ab

do you

That he is a loafer who

k. But are you aware that he is forty-three inches round t

hat got to

e not read my 'Princ

ave

d you a cop

it directly

great deal of valuable

tranq

. Porter, but her gaze was moving easily about the room,

rp cry like that of an animal in pain. She sprang

e cried. "I can't stan

re married th

bbing helplessly. The strain had broken her. John Bannister's face was

he door and pushed her out. Then

she said. "Well, what are

ften a fortune had depended on his mastery of his emotions. Now, in an instant, he had himself under contro

asked Mr

. "Take her out of here. Let her

aid Mrs. Porter,