"I suppose," he said, after a while, cheerfully, "I must content myself with Lois's creed, here,—'It'll come right some time.'"
Lois looked up from the saucepan she was stirring, her face growing quite red, nodding emphatically some half-dozen times.
"Do you find your fallow field easily worked?"
Knowles fidgeted uneasily.
"No. Fact is, I'm beginning to think there's a good deal of an obstacle in blood. I find difficulty, much difficulty, Sir, in giving the youngest child true ideas of absolute freedom and unselfish heroism."
"You teach them by reason alone?" said Holmes, gravely.
"Well,—of course,—that is the true theory; but I—I find it necessary to have them whipped, Mr. Holmes."
Holmes stooped suddenly to pat Tiger, hiding a furtive smile. The old man went on, anxiously,—
"Old Mr. Howth says that is the end of all self-governments: from anarchy to despotism, he says. Old people are apt to be set in their ways, you know. Honestly, we do not find unlimited freedom answer in the House. I hope much from a woman's assistance: I have destined her for this work always: she has great latent power of sympathy and endurance, such as can bring the Christian teaching home to these wretches."
"The Christian?" said Holmes.