Mr. Hethcote looked at the address on the letter with an expression of
surprise, which did not escape the notice of Amelius. "Do you know Mr.
Farnaby?" he asked.

"I have some acquaintance with him," was the answer, given with a
certain appearance of constraint.

Amelius went on eagerly with his questions. "What sort of man is he? Do
you think he will be prejudiced against me, because I have been brought
up in Tadmor?"

"I must be a little better acquainted, Amelius, with you and Tadmor
before I can answer your question. Suppose you tell me how you became
one of the Socialists, to begin with?"

"I was only a little boy, Mr. Hethcote, at that time."

"Very good. Even little boys have memories. Is there any objection to
your telling me what you can remember?"

Amelius answered rather sadly, with his eyes bent on the deck. "I
remember something happening which threw a gloom over us at home in
England. I heard that my mother was concerned in it. When I grew older,
I never presumed to ask my father what it was; and he never offered to
tell me. I only know this: that he forgave her some wrong she had done
him, and let her go on living at home--and that relations and friends
all blamed him, and fell away from him, from that time. Not long
afterwards, while I was at school, my mother died. I was sent for, to
follow her funeral with my father. When we got back, and were alone