"Now the Delances were Episcopalians from away back--High-Church Episcopalians, at that. The old man had sniffed a good deal when Harry began to pay attention to Marie, and had come to see me about it. "I eased his fears and appealed to his avarice. Harry had too much money and some follies, I confessed, but he was sound at heart, and I had hope of making a strong man of him, and of course his money might be a great lever in his hands. "'Very well--we'll keep an eye on him,' he snapped, and left me without another word. "After that Marie was allowed to go out with the young man in his drag and tandem. "Harry and his sister came to the party at Deacon Joe's, and brought with them a late volume of D'Annunzio for Marie to read. Harry wished to know if I had read it, and gave us a talk on the realism of this modern Italian author. "Again I drew on the memoirs of Dr. Godfrey Vogeldam Guph, and this time I explained that the learned doctor had all the talents but one. He never told a lie--never but once, and that was on his death-bed. Yes, it was a little late, but still it was in time to save his reputation, and, possibly, even his soul. To a man of his parts the truth had always been good enough, and lying unnecessary. If he had told a lie it wouldn't have amounted to anything--everybody would have believed it. He wouldn't have got any credit--poor man! He had no more use for a lie than a fish has for a mackintosh--until he came to his last touching words, which were delivered to a minister and his sister Sophia, who had been reading to him from a book of D'Annunzio. "'My chance has arrived at last,' he said to Sophia, 'and in order that I may make the most of it, you will please send for a minister.' "The latter came, and, seeing the book, asked the good man if he had read it. "'Alas! my friend, that it should be necessary for me to tell a lie on my death-bed,' said the Doctor. 'But now, at last, I tell it proudly and promptly. I have not read that book.' "'And therein I do clearly see the truth,' said the wise old minister. "'Which is this,' the learned Doctor confessed. 'I have come to an hour when a lie, and nothing but a lie, can show my sense of shame. I solemnly swear that I have not read it!' "'Well, at least you're a noble liar,' said the man of God. 'I absolve you.' "'I claim no credit--I am only doing my duty,' said the good Doctor, with a sign of ineffable peace. "As soon as I could get his attention, I called Harry aside and whispered: 'In Heaven's name, boy, get hold of that book and hang on to it.' "'Why?' he asked. "'You don't know the old man as I do--that's why,' I said. 'If he should happen to read it, he'd go after you with his grandfather's sword the next time you showed up here.' "Marie stood near us, and I beckoned to her, and she came to my side. "'The book,' said Harry--'would you let me take it?' "'I took it to my grandfather, and he is reading it in his room,' she answered. 'Shall I go and get it?'