"I suppose it does help, your being my cousin. But the thing
depends on you. Unless you make a decided change you'll never get
on."

"What change do you suggest? Item one, please?"

James looked straight at him. "You lack bedrock principles, Jeff."

"Do I?"

"Take your habits. Two or three times you've been seen coming out
of saloons."

"Expect I went in to get a drink."

"It's not generally known, of course, but if it reached Prexy he'd
fire you so quick your head would swim."

"I dare say."

The senior looked at him significantly. "You're the last man that
ought to go to such places. There's such a thing as an inherited
tendency."

The jaw muscles stood out like ropes under the flesh of Jeff's
lean face. "We'll not discuss that."

"Very well. Cut it out. A drinking man is handicapped too heavily
to win."