“That’s what I think,” Guy cried, so enthusiastically, that Briggs came near smiling again. He was tempted to say, “Don’t be so modest, my boy,” but he checked himself. “On general principles,” Briggs resumed quietly, “I suppose the great danger of an early marriage is that the wife may outgrow the husband, or, what is far more likely to happen, that the husband will outgrow the wife. I’ve seen that happen in several cases where the woman has stayed at home and led a limited life, and the man has gone out into the world and developed.” “Still I believe it’s possible,” Guy went on eagerly, “for the young people to go on together and share everything. Then I don’t see--” “There’s where the trouble starts, my boy. The woman may be willing to share everything; but the man is willing mighty seldom. If he’s like a good many men, vain and conceited, he’ll only want to share the good things, the pleasant things; he’ll keep the unpleasant to himself.” “Well, that seems to me pretty fine,” cried Guy, shaking his head. “Yes, it sounds so,” Briggs went on, “but it doesn’t work out right.” Then he checked himself, fearing that the boy would read a personal application in what he said. He changed the subject abruptly, as he sometimes did to Guy’s bewilderment. At such moments Guy feared that he had unconsciously offended his employer. In spite of the companionship Guy gave the other, there were times when Briggs felt the boy’s presence to be somewhat inconvenient. He wished to keep from the young fellow a knowledge of certain business transactions which, as the days passed, grew to be more and more complicated. He often had to keep the door closed against Guy when his broker called. Guy, of course, knew who Balcombe was, the small, keen-eyed, sandy man who frequented the club; but he did not know that Douglas Briggs, whose speculations had previously been conservative, had begun to plunge. Briggs tried to excuse himself for his recklessness on the plea of desperate remedies; he must get rid of Franklin West and, in order to maintain his independence, and, to keep afloat, he must at times take risks. Guy used occasionally to notice a curious elation in his employer’s manner; it showed itself most conspicuously at the close of the day, when they sat at dinner; it sometimes caused Briggs to tell Guy to order something especially good to eat. But even on the days when he felt depressed, Briggs managed to display an artificial gayety that deceived the boy. Then he would indulge in extravagance for the purpose of cheering himself.