He never once mentioned Tony's prospects; his own were assured, that was
enough for him.

As the evening wore away he gravitated toward Aaron. There was really
much in common between the man, whose one idea of power was mere
physical strength, and his rawboned son, so closely allied to him by
disposition.

Job Loring was not a cruel man, nor yet did he mean to be an unjust one.
In his rude way his family was dear to him. Of course, the larger the
object, the more love could be bestowed upon it.

To Tony, with his fine, sensitive nature, inherited from his mother's
side of the family, these grosser qualities were far from being
attractive, and his companionship with Morrison had opened his eyes to a
new creation.

So it was with a feeling of relief that he saw his father turn to his
elder brother, and the cloud lifted from the sullen face of the latter.

Long before nine o'clock the next morning Tony was on his way to
Ashville. He found Morrison in the store, and the latter exclaimed, as
soon as his eyes fell upon the pale face of the little fellow:

"Why, Tony, what ails you? You look as though you hadn't a friend in the
world."

Tony made an effort to look happy, but did not wholly succeed. He
glanced into the office, near which they were standing, and saw a stout