The second glass seemed to revive their father. He smacked his lips over it with something of his old gusto, threw out his chest, frowned formidably, yet with a certain complacency, and said—
"I've had to perform an unpleasant duty this afternoon, Andrew."
Andrew pricked up his ears and looked sternly expectant. Yet on neither of them did the idea of an unpleasant duty seem to have a saddening effect.
"That fellow Vernon has been making love to Jean. I ordered him out of the house. He's off to London again, I'm thankful to say."
"Upon my word!" said Andrew.
He looked as though he had been told of the attempted assassination of the President of the Court of Session. But on Frank the news produced quite a different effect. He started out of his reverie and exclaimed—
"You ordered him out? Poor Jean!"
The two older and wiser men turned upon him together.
"Yes, sir," said his father, "I did order him out. It would have been 'poor Jean' if I hadn't."
"I'd have kicked him downstairs!" said Andrew.