"Never mind what I said then, father, I was very young. To-day,
since I never can be a gentleman, I have come home so that you may
teach me to be a man. And believe me," he continued more lightly as
he glanced from the thoughtful brow of Natty Bell to the gloom on his
father's handsome face, "oh, believe me--I have no regrets,
none--none at all."
"Natty Bell," said John ponderously, and with his gaze still fixed
intently upon the blunderbuss, "what do you say to that?"
"Why I say, John, as I believe as our lad aren't speaking the truth
for once."
"Indeed, I shall be very happy," said Barnabas, hastily, "for I've
done with dreaming, you see. I mean to be very busy, to--to devote
my money to making us all happy. I have several ideas already, my
head is full of schemes."
"Man Jack," said Natty Bell, puffing thoughtfully at his pipe,
"what do you say to that?"
"Why," answered John, "I say Natty Bell, as it be my belief as our
dear lad's nob be full o' only one idee, and that idee is--a woman.
Ah, and always will be and--there y'are, Natty Bell."
"For one thing," Barnabas went on more hastily than before,
"I'm going to carry out the improvements you suggested years ago for
the dear old 'Hound,' father--and you and I, Natty, might buy the
farm next door, it's for sale I know, and go in for raising horses.
You often talked of it in the old days. Come, what do you say?" he
inquired, seeing that neither of his hearers spoke or moved, and
wondering a little that his proposals should fall so flat. "What do
you think, Natty Bell?"
"Well," answered Natty Bell, "I think, Barnabas, since you ax me so
pointed-like, that you'd do much better in taking a wife and raising
children."
"Ah--why not, lad?" nodded his father. "It be high time as you was
thinking o' settling down, so--why not get married and ha' done with
it?"
"Because," answered Barnabas, frowning at the fire, "I can love only
one woman in this world, and she is altogether beyond my reach,
and--never can be mine--never."
"Ha!" said Natty Bell getting up and staring down into the fire,
"Hum!"
'Since boxing is a manly game
And Britain's recreation,
By boxing we will raise our fame
'Bove every other nation.' "Remember this, Barnabas, when a woman sets her mind on anything,
I've noticed as she generally manages to--get it, one way or t' other.
So I wouldn't be too sure, if I was you." Saying which, he nodded to
John, above his son's drooping head, winked, and went silently out
of the room.