It was so obviously deserved, so terribly direct, and at the same time so calculated to hurt, that Nevil turned on his father with reproachful eyes, and then perceiving his face, said no more. Aymer became suddenly rigid, and lay still with waves of colour rising to and dying from his face, and his hands clenched. Mr. Aston waited a moment and then said apologetically and hurriedly, "I'm awfully sorry, Aymer." "Oh, it had to be done," responded Aymer, turning his face to him with a rueful smile. "I'm a brute. Nevil, old fellow, you ought to give him a V. C. or something; he is positively heroic." "Don't be an idiot," retorted his father, blushing for all his fifty-eight years, because of a grain of truth in his son's words. For indeed it sometimes requires more courage to be brutal to those we love than to be kind to those we hate. "Go away, Nevil," continued Mr. Aston good humouredly, "I'll look after Aymer." Nevil departed, with secret relief, the atmosphere was a little too electrical for his liking. When he had gone, Mr. Aston went over to his elder son and sat on the edge of the sofa. "What's really the matter, old chap?" he asked gently. Aymer related the whole history of the sovereign, Christopher's confession and the subsequent events. "I dare say he was quite honest about his point of view," he concluded petulantly, "but because I could not see it I lost my temper with him." His father sat thoughtfully considering the carpet. "It will be a little hard on Christopher," he said at length, very slowly and without looking up, "if every time he has the misfortune to remind you of his father you lose your temper with him." Aymer turned sharply. "What do you mean, sir?" "I think," went on the elder man steadily, "I think, Aymer, it was not only Christopher's hazy ideas of honour and honesty that angered you, but he forced on your notice the fact that he was his father's son, that he had in him the germs of that quality which has made his father what he is--a successful man. Isn't it so?" Aymer did not answer. It was true, he knew, however great his wish to disown it. Something of the self-dissatisfaction that had numbed poor little Christopher fell to his share. He felt his father was a little hard on him--he could not really understand his relationship to the boy. "It is not quite fair on Christopher, is it?" said Mr. Aston very gently, "at least that is how it strikes me. I do not want to interfere between you, but I do want you to do yourself full justice in dealing with him." Aymer looked suddenly up at his father and laughed. "It is evidently not only Christopher who is in disgrace to-day," he said ruefully. "I wish I could in turn upbraid you with unfairness, but Christopher has the pull over me there." He held out his hand. It was a great concession in Aymer to show even this much demonstration of feeling unasked, and it was appreciated.