II + 

The head of the Lycurgus branch of the Griffiths, as contrasted with the father of the Kansas City family, was most arresting. Unlike his shorter and more confused brother of the Door of Hope, whom he had not even seen for thirty years, he was a little above the average in height, very well-knit, although comparatively slender, shrewd of eye, and incisive both as to manner and speech. Long used to contending for himself, and having come by effort as well as results to know that he was above the average in acumen and commercial ability, he was inclined at times to be a bit intolerant of those who were not. He was not ungenerous or unpleasant in manner, but always striving to maintain a calm and judicial air. And he told himself by way of excuse for his mannerisms that he was merely accepting himself at the value that others placed upon him and all those who, like himself, were successful. + 

Having arrived in Lycurgus about twenty-five years before with some capital and a determination to invest in a new collar enterprise which had been proposed to him, he had succeeded thereafter beyond his wildest expectations. And naturally he was vain about it. His family at this timeвБ†вАФtwenty-five years laterвБ†вАФunquestionably occupied one of the best, as well as the most tastefully constructed residences in Lycurgus. They were also esteemed as among the few best families of this regionвБ†вАФbeing, if not the oldest, at least among the most conservative, respectable and successful in Lycurgus. His two younger children, if not the eldest, were much to the front socially in the younger and gayer set and so far nothing had happened to weaken or darken his prestige. + 

On returning from Chicago on this particular day, after having concluded several agreements there which spelled trade harmony and prosperity for at least one year, he was inclined to feel very much at ease and on good terms with the world. Nothing had occurred to mar his trip. In his absence the Griffiths Collar and Shirt Company had gone on as though he had been present. Trade orders at the moment were large. + 

Now as he entered his own door he threw down a heavy bag and fashionably made coat and turned to see what he rather expectedвБ†вАФBella hurrying toward him. Indeed she was his pet, the most pleasing and different and artistic thing, as he saw it, that all his years had brought to himвБ†вАФyouth, health, gayety, intelligence and affectionвБ†вАФall in the shape of a pretty daughter. + 

вАЬOh, Daddy,вАЭ she called most sweetly and enticingly as she saw him enter. вАЬIs that you?вАЭ + 

вАЬYes. At least it feels a little like me at the present moment. HowвАЩs my baby girl?вАЭ And he opened his arms and received the bounding form of his last born. вАЬThereвАЩs a good, strong, healthy girl, IвАЩll say,вАЭ he announced as he withdrew his affectionate lips from hers. вАЬAnd howвАЩs the bad girl been behaving herself since I left? No fibbing this time.вАЭ + 

вАЬOh, just fine, Daddy. You can ask anyone. I couldnвАЩt be better.вАЭ + 

вАЬAnd your mother?вАЭ + 

вАЬSheвАЩs all right, Daddy. SheвАЩs up in her room. I donвАЩt think she heard you come in.вАЭ + 

вАЬAnd Myra? Is she back from Albany yet?вАЭ + 

вАЬYes. SheвАЩs in her room. I heard her playing just now. I just got in myself a little while ago.вАЭ + 

вАЬAy, hai. Gadding about again. I know you.вАЭ He held up a genial forefinger, warningly, while Bella swung onto one of his arms and kept pace with him up the stairs to the floor above. + 

вАЬOh, no, I wasnвАЩt either, now,вАЭ she cooed shrewdly and sweetly. вАЬJust see how you pick on me, Daddy. I was only over with Sondra for a little while. And what do you think, Daddy? TheyвАЩre going to give up the place at Greenwood and build a big handsome bungalow up on Twelfth Lake right away. And Mr.¬†FinchleyвАЩs going to buy a big electric launch for Stuart and theyвАЩre going to live up there next summer, maybe all the time, from May until October. And so are the Cranstons, maybe.вАЭ + 

Mr.¬†Griffiths, long used to his younger daughterвАЩs wiles, was interested at the moment not so much by the thought that she wished to conveyвБ†вАФthat Twelfth Lake was more desirable, socially than GreenwoodвБ†вАФas he was by the fact that the Finchleys were able to make this sudden and rather heavy expenditure for social reasons only. + 

Instead of answering Bella he went on upstairs and into his wifeвАЩs room. He kissed Mrs.¬†Griffiths, looked in upon Myra, who came to the door to embrace him, and spoke of the successful nature of the trip. One could see by the way he embraced his wife that there was an agreeable understanding between themвБ†вАФno disharmonyвБ†вАФby the way he greeted Myra that if he did not exactly sympathize with her temperament and point of view, at least he included her within the largess of his affection. + 

As they were talking Mrs.¬†Truesdale announced that dinner was ready, and Gilbert, having completed his toilet, now entered. + 

вАЬI say, Dad,вАЭ he called, вАЬI have an interesting thing I want to see you about in the morning. Can I?вАЭ + 

вАЬAll right, IвАЩll be there. Come in about noon.вАЭ + 

вАЬCome on all, or the dinner will be getting cold,вАЭ admonished Mrs.¬†Griffiths earnestly, and forthwith Gilbert turned and went down, followed by Griffiths, who still had Bella on his arm. And after him came Mrs.¬†Griffiths and Myra, who now emerged from her room and joined them. + 

Once seated at the table, the family forthwith began discussing topics of current local interest. For Bella, who was the familyвАЩs chief source of gossip, gathering the most of it from the Snedeker School, through which all the social news appeared to percolate most swiftly, suddenly announced: вАЬWhat do you think, Mamma? Rosetta Nicholson, that niece of Mrs.¬†Disston Nicholson, who was over here last summer from AlbanyвБ†вАФyou know, she came over the night of the Alumnae Garden Party on our lawnвБ†вАФyou rememberвБ†вАФthe young girl with the yellow hair and squinty blue eyesвБ†вАФher father owns that big wholesale grocery over thereвБ†вАФwell, sheвАЩs engaged to that Herbert Tickham of Utica, who was visiting Mrs.¬†Lambert last summer. You donвАЩt remember him, but I do. He was tall and dark and sorta awkward, and awfully pale, but very handsomeвБ†вАФoh, a regular movie hero.вАЭ + 

вАЬThere you go, Mrs.¬†Griffiths,вАЭ interjected Gilbert shrewdly and cynically to his mother. вАЬA delegation from the Misses SnedekerвАЩs Select School sneaks off to the movies to brush up on heroes from time to time.вАЭ + 

Griffiths senior suddenly observed: вАЬI had a curious experience in Chicago this time, something I think the rest of you will be interested in.вАЭ He was thinking of an accidental encounter two days before in Chicago between himself and the eldest son, as it proved to be, of his younger brother Asa. Also of a conclusion he had come to in regard to him. + 

вАЬOh, what is it, Daddy?вАЭ pleaded Bella at once. вАЬDo tell me about it.вАЭ + 

вАЬSpin the big news, Dad,вАЭ added Gilbert, who, because of the favor of his father, felt very free and close to him always. + 

вАЬWell, while I was in Chicago at the Union League Club, I met a young man who is related to us, a cousin of you three children, by the way, the eldest son of my brother Asa, who is out in Denver now, I understand. I havenвАЩt seen or heard from him in thirty years.вАЭ He paused and mused dubiously. + 

вАЬNot the one who is a preacher somewhere, Daddy?вАЭ inquired Bella, looking up. + 

вАЬYes, the preacher. At least I understand he was for a while after he left home. But his son tells me he has given that up now. HeвАЩs connected with something in DenverвБ†вАФa hotel, I think.вАЭ + 

вАЬBut whatвАЩs his son like?вАЭ interrogated Bella, who only knew such well groomed and ostensibly conservative youths and men as her present social status and supervision permitted, and in consequence was intensely interested. The son of a western hotel proprietor! + 

вАЬA cousin? How old is he?вАЭ asked Gilbert instantly, curious as to his character and situation and ability. + 

вАЬWell, heвАЩs a very interesting young man, I think,вАЭ continued Griffiths tentatively and somewhat dubiously, since up to this hour he had not truly made up his mind about Clyde. вАЬHeвАЩs quite good-looking and well-mannered, tooвБ†вАФabout your own age, I should say, Gil, and looks a lot like youвБ†вАФvery much soвБ†вАФsame eyes and mouth and chin.вАЭ He looked at his son examiningly. вАЬHeвАЩs a little bit taller, if anything, and looks a little thinner, though I donвАЩt believe he really is.вАЭ + 

At the thought of a cousin who looked like himвБ†вАФpossibly as attractive in every way as himselfвБ†вАФand bearing his own name, Gilbert chilled and bristled slightly. For here in Lycurgus, up to this time, he was well and favourably known as the only son and heir presumptive to the managerial control of his fatherвАЩs business, and to at least a third of the estate, if not more. And now, if by any chance it should come to light that there was a relative, a cousin of his own years and one who looked and acted like him, evenвБ†вАФhe bridled at the thought. Forthwith (a psychic reaction which he did not understand and could not very well control) he decided that he did not like himвБ†вАФcould not like him. + 

вАЬWhatвАЩs he doing now?вАЭ he asked in a curt and rather sour tone, though he attempted to avoid the latter element in his voice. + 

вАЬWell, he hasnвАЩt much of a job, I must say,вАЭ smiled Samuel Griffiths, meditatively. вАЬHeвАЩs only a bellhop in the Union League Club in Chicago, at present, but a very pleasant and gentlemanly sort of a boy, I will say. I was quite taken with him. In fact, because he told me there wasnвАЩt much opportunity for advancement where he was, and that he would like to get into something where there was more chance to do something and be somebody, I told him that if he wanted to come on here and try his luck with us, we might do a little something for himвБ†вАФgive him a chance to show what he could do, at least.вАЭ + 

He had not intended to set forth at once the fact that he became interested in his nephew to this extent, butвБ†вАФrather to wait and thrash it out at different times with both his wife and son, but the occasion having seemed to offer itself, he had spoken. And now that he had, he felt rather glad of it, for because Clyde so much resembled Gilbert he did want to do a little something for him. + 

But Gilbert bristled and chilled, the while Bella and Myra, if not Mrs.¬†Griffiths, who favored her only son in everythingвБ†вАФeven to preferring him to be without a blood relation or other rival of any kind, rather warmed to the idea. A cousin who was a Griffiths and good-looking and about GilbertвАЩs ageвБ†вАФand who, as their father reported, was rather pleasant and well-manneredвБ†вАФthat pleased Bella and Myra while Mrs.¬†Griffiths, noting GilbertвАЩs face darken, was not so moved. He would not like him. But out of respect for her husbandвАЩs authority and general ability in all things, she now remained silent. But not so, Bella. + 

вАЬOh, youвАЩre going to give him a place, are you, Dad?вАЭ she commented. вАЬThatвАЩs interesting. I hope heвАЩs better-looking than the rest of our cousins.вАЭ + 

вАЬBella,вАЭ chided Mrs.¬†Griffiths, while Myra, recalling a gauche uncle and cousin who had come on from Vermont several years before to visit them a few days, smiled wisely. At the same time Gilbert, deeply irritated, was mentally fighting against the idea. He could not see it at all. вАЬOf course weвАЩre not turning away applicants who want to come in and learn the business right along now, as it is,вАЭ he said sharply. + 

вАЬOh, I know,вАЭ replied his father, вАЬbut not cousins and nephews exactly. Besides he looks very intelligent and ambitious to me. It wouldnвАЩt do any great harm if we let at least one of our relatives come here and show what he can do. I canвАЩt see why we shouldnвАЩt employ him as well as another.вАЭ + 

вАЬI donвАЩt believe Gil likes the idea of any other fellow in Lycurgus having the same name and looking like him,вАЭ suggested Bella, slyly, and with a certain touch of malice due to the fact that her brother was always criticizing her. + 

вАЬOh, what rot!вАЭ Gilbert snapped irritably. вАЬWhy donвАЩt you make a sensible remark once in a while? What do I care whether he has the same name or notвБ†вАФor looks like me, either?вАЭ His expression at the moment was particularly sour. + 

вАЬGilbert!вАЭ pleaded his mother, reprovingly. вАЬHow can you talk so? And to your sister, too?вАЭ + 

вАЬWell, I donвАЩt want to do anything in connection with this young man if itвАЩs going to cause any hard feelings here,вАЭ went on Griffiths senior. вАЬAll I know is that his father was never very practical and I doubt if Clyde has ever had a real chance.вАЭ (His son winced at this friendly and familiar use of his cousinвАЩs first name.) вАЬMy only idea in bringing him on here was to give him a start. I havenвАЩt the faintest idea whether he would make good or not. He might and again he might not. If he didnвАЩtвБ†вАФвАЭ He threw up one hand as much as to say, вАЬIf he doesnвАЩt, we will have to toss him aside, of course.вАЭ + 

вАЬWell, I think thatвАЩs very kind of you, father,вАЭ observed Mrs.¬†Griffiths, pleasantly and diplomatically. вАЬI hope he proves satisfactory.вАЭ + 

вАЬAnd thereвАЩs another thing,вАЭ added Griffiths wisely and sententiously. вАЬI donвАЩt expect this young man, so long as he is in my employ and just because heвАЩs a nephew of mine, to be treated differently to any other employee in the factory. HeвАЩs coming here to workвБ†вАФnot play. And while he is here, trying, I donвАЩt expect any of you to pay him any social attentionвБ†вАФnot the slightest. HeвАЩs not the sort of boy anyhow, that would want to put himself on usвБ†вАФat least he didnвАЩt impress me that way, and he wouldnвАЩt be coming down here with any notion that he was to be placed on an equal footing with any of us. That would be silly. Later on, if he proves that he is really worth while, able to take care of himself, knows his place and keeps it, and any of you wanted to show him any little attention, well, then it will be time enough to see, but not before then.вАЭ + 

By then, the maid, Amanda, assistant to Mrs.¬†Truesdale, was taking away the dinner plates and preparing to serve the dessert. But as Mr.¬†Griffiths rarely ate dessert, and usually chose this period, unless company was present, to look after certain stock and banking matters which he kept in a small desk in the library, he now pushed back his chair, arose, excusing himself to his family, and walked into the library adjoining. The others remained. + 

вАЬI would like to see what heвАЩs like, wouldnвАЩt you?вАЭ Myra asked her mother. + 

вАЬYes. And I do hope he measures up to all of your fatherвАЩs expectations. He will not feel right if he doesnвАЩt.вАЭ + 

вАЬI canвАЩt get this,вАЭ observed Gilbert, вАЬbringing people on now when we can hardly take care of those we have. And besides, imagine what the bunch around here will say if they find out that our cousin was only a bellhop before coming here!вАЭ + 

вАЬOh, well, they wonвАЩt have to know that, will they?вАЭ said Myra. + 

вАЬOh, wonвАЩt they? Well, whatвАЩs to prevent him from speaking about itвБ†вАФunless we tell him not toвБ†вАФor someone coming along who has seen him there.вАЭ His eyes snapped viciously. вАЬAt any rate, I hope he doesnвАЩt. It certainly wouldnвАЩt do us any good around here.вАЭ + 

And Bella added, вАЬI hope heвАЩs not dull as Uncle AllenвАЩs two boys. TheyвАЩre the most uninteresting boys I ever did see.вАЭ + 

вАЬBella,вАЭ cautioned her mother once more. + 