Fathers of Men

BOOKS BY E. W. HORNUNG
Published by CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS
The Raffles Series
Copyright, 1912, by
CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS
Published February, 1912
CONTENTS
FATHERS OF MEN
The two new boys in Heriot’s house had been suitably entertained at his table, and afterwards in his study with bound volumes of Punch . Incidentally they had been encouraged to talk, with the result that one boy had talked too much, while the other shut a stubborn mouth tighter than before. The babbler displayed an exuberant knowledge of contemporary cricket, a more conscious sense of humour, and other little qualities which told their tale. He opened the door for Miss Heriot after dinner, and even thanked her for the evening when it came to an end. His companion, on the other hand, after brooding over Leech and Tenniel with a sombre eye, beat a boorish retreat without a word.
Heriot saw the pair to the boys’ part of the house. He was filling his pipe when he returned to the medley of books, papers, photographic appliances, foxes’ masks, alpen-stocks and venerable oak, that made his study a little room in which it was difficult to sit down and impossible to lounge. His sister, perched upon a coffin-stool, was busy mounting photographs at a worm-eaten bureau.
“How I hate our rule that a man mayn’t smoke before a boy!” exclaimed Heriot, emitting a grateful cloud. “And how I wish we didn’t have the new boys on our hands a whole day before the rest!”
“I should have thought there was a good deal to be said for that,” remarked his sister, intent upon her task.