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who joined his scholars in their outdoor sports。 His lips were firm； his
chin prominent； he had a hard； dry eye； and his manner was precise and
formal。 Forty years of stern discipline had made him reserved and silent。
Yet； when at his ease with an equal； he could readily assume a less quarter…
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deck style； and he had a fund of little； dry stories of the world and its ways
which were of interest from one who had seen so many phases of life。
Dry and spare； as lean as a jockey and as tough as whipcord； he might be
seen any day swinging his silver…headed Malacca cane； and pacing along
the suburban roads with the same measured gait with which he had been
wont to tread the poop of his flagship。 He wore a good service stripe
upon his cheek； for on one side it was pitted and scarred where a spurt of
gravel knocked up by a round…shot had struck him thirty years before；
when he served in the Lancaster gun…battery。 Yet he was hale and sound；
and though he was fifteen years senior to his friend the Doctor； he might
have passed as the younger man。
Mrs。 Hay Denver's life had been a very broken one； and her record
upon land represented a greater amount of endurance and self…sacrifice
than his upon the sea。 They had been together for four months after their
marriage； and then had come a hiatus of four years； during which he was
flitting about between St。 Helena and the Oil Rivers in a gunboat。 Then
came a blessed year of peace and domesticity； to be followed by nine years；
with only a three months' break； five upon the Pacific station； and four on
the East Indian。 After that was a respite in the shape of five years in the
Channel squadron； with periodical runs home； and then again he was off to
the Mediterranean for three years and to Halifax for four。 Now； at last；
however； this old married couple； who were still almost strangers to one
another； had come together in Norwood； where； if their short day had been
chequered and broken； the evening at least promised to be sweet and
mellow。 In person Mrs。 Hay Denver was tall and stout； with a bright；
round； ruddy…cheeked face still pretty； with a gracious； matronly
comeliness。 Her whole life was a round of devotion and of love； which
was divided between her husband and her only son； Harold。
This son it was who kept them in the neighborhood of London； for the
Admiral was as fond of ships and of salt water as ever； and was as happy
in the sheets of a two…ton yacht as on the bridge of his sixteen…knot
monitor。 Had he been untied； the Devonshire or Hampshire coast would
certainly have been his choice。 There was Harold； however； and Harold's
interests were their chief care。 Harold was four…and…twenty now。 Three
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years before he had been taken in hand by an acquaintance of his father's；
the head of a considerable firm of stock…brokers； and fairly launched upon
'Change。 His three hundred guinea entrance fee paid； his three sureties of
five hundred pounds each found； his name approved by the Committee；
and all other formalities complied with； he found himself whirling round；
an insignificant unit； in the vortex of the money market of the world。
There； under the guidance of his father's friend； he was instructed in the
mysteries of bulling and of bearing； in the strange usages of 'Change in the
intricacies of carrying over and of transferring。 He learned to know
where to place his clients' money； which of the jobbers would make a price
in New Zealands； and which would touch nothing but American rails；
which might be trusted and which shunned。 All this； and much more； he
mastered； and to such purpose that he soon began to prosper； to retain the
clients who had been recommened to him； and to attract fresh ones。 But
the work was never congenial。 He had inherited from his father his love
of the air of heaven； his affection for a manly and natural existence。 To
act as middleman between the pursuer of wealth； and the wealth which he
pursued； or to stand as a human barometer； registering the rise and fall of
the great mammon pressure in the markets； was not the work for which
Providence had placed those broad shoulders and strong limbs upon his
well knit frame。 His dark open face； too； with his straight Grecian nose；
well opened brown eyes； and round black…curled head； were all those of a
man who was fashioned for active physical work。 Meanwhile he was
popular with his fellow brokers； respected by his clients； and beloved at
home； but his spirit was restless within him and his mind chafed
unceasingly against his surroundings。
〃Do you know； Willy；〃 said Mrs。 Hay Denver one evening as she stood
behind her husband's chair； with her hand upon his shoulder； 〃I think
sometimes that Harold is not quite happy。〃
〃He looks happy； the young rascal；〃 answered the Admiral； pointing
with his cigar。 It was after dinner； and through the open French window
of the dining…room a clear view was to be had of the tennis court and the
players。 A set had just been finished； and young Charles Westmacott was
hitting up the balls as high as he could send them in the middle of the
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ground。 Doctor Walker and Mrs。 Westmacott were pacing up and down
the lawn； the lady waving her racket as she emphasized her remarks； and
the Doctor listening with slanting head and little nods of agreement。
Against the rails at the near end Harold was leaning in his flannels talking
to the two sisters； who stood listening to him with their long dark shadows
streaming down the lawn behind them。 The girls were dressed alike in
dark skirts； with light pink tennis blouses and pink bands on their straw
hats； so that as they stood with the soft red of the setting sun tinging their
faces； Clara； demure and quiet； Ida； mischievous and daring； it was a
group which might have pleased the eye of a more exacting critic than the
old sailor。
〃Yes； he looks happy； mother；〃 he repeated； with a chuckle。 〃It is not
so long ago since it was you and I who were standing like that； and I don't
remember that we were very unhappy either。 It was croquet in our time；
and the ladies had not reefed in their skirts quite so taut。 What year
would it be？ Just before the commission of the Penelope。〃
Mrs。 Hay Denver ran her fingers through his grizzled hair。 〃It was
when you came back in the Antelope； just before you got your step。〃
〃Ah； the old Antelope！ What a clipper she was！ She could sail two
points nearer the wind than anything of her tonnage in the service。 You
remember her； mother。 You saw her come into Plymouth Bay。 Wasn't
she a beauty？〃
〃She was indeed； dear。 But when I say that I think that Harold is not
happy I mean in his daily life。 Has it never struck you how thoughtful；
he is at times； and how absent…minded？〃
〃In love perhaps； the young dog。 He seems to have found snug
moorings now at any rate。〃
〃I think that it is very likely that you are right； Willy；〃 answered the
mother seriously。 〃But with which of them？〃
〃I cannot tell。〃
〃Well； they are very charming girls； both of them。 But as long as he
hangs in the wind between the two it cannot be serious。 After all； the boy
is four…and…twenty； and he made five hundred pounds last year。 He is
better able to marry than I was when I was lieutenant。〃
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〃I think that we can see which it is now；〃 remarked the observant
mother。 Charles Westmacott had ceased to knock the tennis balls abo