It was a perfectly natural thing to do, of course, in the light of after reflection. She had expected to see the genial, middle-aged physician who had so often attended her; and behold, in his stead, a pale-faced boy who might very nearly have been her son! It was no wonder that she burst into tears. But it was rather a blow for the poor hero. Afterwards, I think, having both made the best of a bad job, and observed an all-wise Nature introduce to us an entirely normal baby, we became quite friendly. And you will generally find, if you know your work, and refrain from dogma, that a little patience will heal most of these differences, while the cause of them, alas, will depart readily enough. It is good, no doubt, to be considered a wise old codger. But the pearl that pays for it is of great price. So don't be in too much of a hurry to part with it. Your affect. uncle, PETER HARDING. IX _To Harry Carthew, Trenant Hotel, Leeds._ 91B HARLEY STREET, W., _April_ 15, 1910. MY DEAR CARTHEW, I am very glad. But let me put it to you, sir--that _is_ the phrase, isn't it?--that you really cured yourself. Yrs. very sincerely, PETER HARDING. X _To the Rev. Bruce Harding, S. Peter's College, Morecambe Bay._ 91B HARLEY STREET, W., _April_ 20, 1910. MY DEAR BRUCE, The whole subject is so difficult, and one's opinions upon it, in cold ink as it were, are so liable to be misread, that I wish we could have had a quiet talk about it instead. But of course, since you cannot leave the school until the May holiday begins, and will have, if you decide to take so radical a step, to write to the boys' parents in India and Egypt, this is quite impossible. From your letter I seem to gather that this was your intention at the time of writing, and it is a decision in which I can sympathise with you very deeply. For the whole ten years during which the school has been in your charge it has, to your almost certain knowledge, and according also to the testimony of many of your old pupils, been absolutely free from this "moral canker," as you describe it, that you have just discovered in it now. And even for a preparatory school, like yours, this is a record for which you are right to be profoundly thankful. It is one also that naturally throws up into a blacker relief the present condition of affairs. Moreover, having discovered its sphere to be at present fairly circumscribed--confined apparently to a single coterie of some half a dozen boys--the obvious course, as you say, would seem to be a prompt and thorough excision, _pro bono publico_.