"I'll do that all right, dad."

"I'm not so sure of it," was his father's opinion. "You've got to
prove yourself worthy to spend it. Don't you think I shall be
content to have slaved all these years merely to provide a
brainless young idiot with the means of self-indulgence. I leave
my money to somebody worthy of me. Understand, sir?--somebody
worthy of me."

Mrs. Grindley commenced a sentence; Mr. Grindley turned his small
eyes upon her. The sentence remained unfinished.

"You were about to say something," her husband reminded her.

Mrs. Grindley said it was nothing.

"If it is anything worth hearing--if it is anything that will
assist the discussion, let's have it." Mr. Grindley waited. "If
not, if you yourself do not consider it worth finishing, why have
begun it?"

Mr. Grindley returned to his son and heir. "You haven't done too
well at school--in fact, your school career has disappointed me."

"I know I'm not clever," Grindley junior offered as an excuse.

"Why not? Why aren't you clever?"

His son and heir was unable to explain.