Sir Matthew broke into a discordant laugh.
“Did his precious ideals feed you and clothe you and send you to Winchester? Don’t you know by his own confession that he had mismanaged his affairs?”
“I know,” said Ralph indignantly, “that, whatever his faults, he was at least an honest man.”
He had meant no insinuation whatever, but the words galled his companion terribly. Sir Matthew rose to his feet in a towering passion.
“You impertinent, ungrateful fellow, do you dare to insult me in my own house? Go, sir, get out of my sight! I have had enough of you. Let us see now how your ideals will support you! Leave my house and never set foot in it again!”
Ralph, too angry and sore to realise all that the words meant, turned without a word and left the library.
CHAPTER VI
“The grace of friendship—mind and heart,