“My dear,” observed Sarah, with unction, “when two men enjoy destroying the harmless life which the good God has set upon the prairie, they never tire of one another’s society. Men who would disdain to 211 black a pair of boots would not hesitate to crawl about in the mud and damp reeds of a swamp at daybreak to slaughter a few innocent ducks. There is a bond amongst sportsmen which is stronger than all the vows made at any altar. Hervey’s delight in destroying life is almost inhuman. I trust he never shoots sitting game.”
“I should hope not,” said Prudence. “I would never own him as a brother if he did. Hello, Neche,” as the door was pushed slowly open and the great husky limped heavily into the room. The animal looked round him in a dignified, unblinking way, and then came over to Prudence’s side and leisurely curled himself up on the skirt of her dress. “Say, old boy,” she added, looking down at the recumbent form, “if mother comes in and finds you here you’ll leave the room hurriedly.”
Alice laid her scissors down and looked over at her friend.
“Hervey seems quieter than ever lately. He won’t even take the trouble to quarrel.”
“And a good thing too,” said Prudence shortly.
Sarah turned and surveyed the two girls for a moment, an amused expression was in her dreamy eyes. Then she turned back to the window as the first distant growl of the coming storm made itself heard.
“Hervey only quarrels when his mind is in a state of stagnation. The mind of a man is very like a pool of water. Let it stand, and it corrodes with matter which throws off offensive odours. The longer it stands the worse state it gets into. Set the water in motion, turn it into a running stream, 212 and it at once cleanses itself. Hervey’s mind has been lately set in motion. I have noticed the change.”
“He has certainly become less offensive of late,” said Alice. “I wonder what has changed him.”
“Food for mental occupation,” said Sarah.
“‘A life monotonous, unrelieved, breeds selfish discontent, Dead’ning a mind to lofty thought for which by nature meant.’”