Bantry. Fanny'd lock the old fool up in the
cellar."

The lofty vision lurched out of view.

"I reckon," said the Colonel, leaning forward to
see the last of it--"I reckon Henry Louden's about
the saddest case of abused step-father I ever saw."

"It's his own fault," said Mr. Arp--"twice not
havin' sense enough not to marry. Him with a
son of his own, too!"

"Yes," assented the Colonel, "marryin' a widow
with a son of her own, and that widow Fanny!"

"Wasn't it just the same with her first husband
--Bantry?" Mr. Davey asked, not for information,
as he immediately answered himself. "You bet
it was! Didn't she always rule the roost? Yes,
she did. She made a god of 'Gene from the day
he was born. Bantry's house was run for him, like
Louden's is now."

"And look," exclaimed Mr. Arp, with satisfaction,
"at the way he's turned out!"

"He ain't turned out at all yet; he's too young,"
said Buckalew. "Besides, clothes don't make the
man."