The lofty vision lurched out of view.
"I reckon," said the Colonel, leaning forward to see the last of it—"I reckon Henry Louden's about the saddest case of abused step-father I ever saw."
"It's his own fault," said Mr. Arp—"twice not havin' sense enough not to marry. Him with a son of his own, too!"
"Yes," assented the Colonel, "marryin' a widow with a son of her own, and that widow Fanny!"
"Wasn't it just the same with her first husband—Bantry?" Mr. Davey asked, not for information, as he immediately answered himself. "You bet it was! Didn't she always rule the roost? Yes, she did. She made a god of 'Gene from the day he was born. Bantry's house was run for him, like Louden's is now."
"And look," exclaimed Mr. Arp, with satisfaction, "at the way he's turned out!"
"He ain't turned out at all yet; he's too young," said Buckalew. "Besides, clothes don't make the man."
"Wasn't he smokin' a cigareet!" cried Eskew, triumphantly. This was final.
"It's a pity Henry Louden can't do something for his own son," said Mr. Bradbury. "Why don't he send him away to college?"
"Fanny won't let him," chuckled Mr. Arp, malevolently. "Takes all their spare change to keep 'Gene there in style. I don't blame her. 'Gene certainly acts the fool, but that Joe Louden is the orneriest boy I ever saw in an ornery world-full."