“Well, young people,” said the old lumberman, emerging upon the veranda, “why don’t you come into the house and have some music?”

“It’s cooler out here, dad,” said Jack. “Sit down and make yourself at home and have a smoke. Here’s Joe.”

Crooks laid a huge hand on Kent’s shoulder. “I want to talk over some business with you, Joe. You won’t mind if I take him away for half an hour, Jack?”

“Not a bit, dad. Don’t keep him all night, though.”

“I won’t,” he promised, smiling at her fondly. “Come on, Joe. We’ll go to the library.”

William Crooks’s library held few books. Such as there were mainly dealt with the breeding, training, and diseases of horses and dogs. Stuffed birds and fish, guns and rods adorned the walls. A huge table in the centre of the room bore a mass of papers in which pipes, cartridge cases, trout flies, and samples of various woods mingled in gorgeous confusion. Crooks laid an open box of cigars on top of the disarray.

“Well, Joe,” he asked, “how you makin’ it?”

“I don’t quite know yet,” Kent replied. “I’m just beginning to learn the ropes around the office. So far I like it.”

“You’ll like it better,” said Crooks. “You come to me if you get stuck; but work things out for yourself if you can. Now, about those notes I’ve indorsed!”

“Yes,” said Kent. “I don’t see how I’m to take them up just yet.”

“Nobody wants you to,” said Crooks. “Your father helped me out often enough. I was doing the same for him, and what I’d do for him I’ll do for you. Don’t worry about the notes or renewals. Only—I may as well talk straight to you, Joe—I don’t want to increase my liabilities without I have to. Understand, if it’s a case of need I’ll back you up to any amount in reason, but if you can worry along without more accommodation I wish you would.”

“It’s very good of you,” said Joe. “I’ll try to get along. Anyway, I never thought of asking you for more endorsements.”

“Well, you think of it if you need them,” said Crooks gruffly. “Come to me as if I were your father, boy. I’ll go with you as far as I would with him, and that’s to the rim-ice of Hades.”

For acknowledgment Joe took his hand and shook it, an action which embarrassed the old 

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