smoke; eh? Exactly. Smoke on an empty stomach! That's got to be stopped.
It's the simple life for you. Plenty of exercise in the open air; live,
bathe, in sunshine. It is the essence of life. I think, major, we can
cure this young prodigal of yours. But he must obey me--implicitly."

Subsequently, Major Calvert had, for him, a serious conversation with
Garrison.

"I believe in youth having its fling," he said kindly, in conclusion;
"but I don't believe in flinging so far that you cannot retrench safely.
From Doctor Blandly's statements, you seem to have come mighty near
exceeding the speed limit, my boy."

He bent his white brows and regarded Garrison steadily out of his keen
eyes, in which lurked a fund of potential understanding.

"But sorrow," he continued, "acts on different natures in different
ways. Your mother's death must have been a great blow to you. It was to
me." He looked fixedly at his nails. "I understand fully what it must
mean to be thrown adrift on the world at the age you were. I don't
wish you ever to think that we knew of your condition at the time. We
didn't--not for a moment. I did not learn of your mother's death until
long afterward, and only of your father's by sheer accident. But we have
already discussed these subjects, and I am only touching on them now
because I want you, as you know, to be as good a man as your mother was
a woman; not a man like your father was. You want to forget that past
life of yours, my boy, for you are to be my heir; to be worthy of the
name of Calvert, as I feel confident you will. You have your mother's
blood. When your health is improved, we will discuss more serious
questions, regarding your future, your career; also--your marriage." He