“It is none of these you have mentioned, sir,” said Roy, nervously, and the next moment he blurted out awkwardly, “I want to enter the priesthood!”
“The priesthood,” said Henning senior, with an intonation that expressed various emotions. "H—um,” And he remained a long time silent.
The light from the sitting-room fell on Mr. Henning's face. Roy watched the florid features of his father. His closely-cropped white hair and side-whiskers worn in the style once designated “mutton-chop,” the short-trimmed mustache, and clean-shaven, well-rounded chin, all showed distinctly in the strong light of the reading lamp, which sent a flood of light out across the veranda. Roy thought that his father's face was unusually flushed. It appeared almost purple in the artificial light, and the son became anxious, momentarily fearing that the suddenly communicated intelligence might have caused a rush of blood to the head. The family physician not long before had told Mrs. Henning that her husband was quite liable to an attack of apoplexy.
Roy could not guess what was passing within the mind of his father, who remained silent a long time. Nothing was heard except the nervous tapping of Mr. Henning's eyeglasses on the arm of the rocker.
The boy knew that his father was irascible, and he was more or less prepared for a storm. He waited for what he thought several minutes—in reality less than forty seconds—for his father to speak. No sound was heard save the nervous tap-tap-tapping on the arm of the chair. Roy twirled his
cap and shifted his weight from one foot to another.
Then, as it often does, the unexpected occurred. Mr. Henning arose from his chair, and without noticing his son, or saying a word, retired into the house, leaving the surprised boy on the porch.
The young man was perplexed at this turn of affairs. Had his father flatly refused he could have pleaded and coaxed. Had he stormed, the boy knew enough of his parent to be aware that the end he desired would most probably be attained—when the storm blew over.
Roy left the porch in a dazed sort of way. He had never seen his father act so peculiarly. Wanting to be alone to think over the affair, he sauntered off to a secluded part of the large lawn.