“We may be a little confusing at first, but there is only papa and mama, and my sister Clara,” said Elinor as they shook hands. “You were the baby when I was here before,” Stephen said. “And where is Clara?” “My sister is away from home, but there is some one here you will want to see, we were just speaking of you—Ben!” she called. “Yes, Elinor,” said a masculine voice from the hall, and a tall young fellow, rather shabbily dressed, but carrying himself with smiling self-confidence, entered the room. He was clean-shaven, and the outline of his shapely head was accented by his closely cropped black hair; his nose was long and prominent, his eyes black like his hair, when he smiled, and he was smiling now, he disclosed two rows of white even teeth. His attitude toward Stephen from the first moment of their meeting was that of an old friend. “It's awfully good to see you, Landray,” he said. “And it's good to see you, Benjamin Wade,” said Stephen laughing. There was something about the young fellow which made his surname oddly unsuited to him. “I haven't been called that in years, not since I outgrew corporal punishment, how many years ago it seems! I've seen Reddy, he hunted me up first thing this morning, and he told me you were home. I suppose you are going to stay with us?” “Oh, yes. They tell me you are a lawyer, Ben.” Wade waved a hand deprecatingly at this. “A weak limb of the law, Landray, and only just beginning to make trouble for my neighbours. Your aunt here was one of my first clients; and for a longer time than I care to tell, she enjoyed the proud distinction of being my only client.” “When you're famous, Ben, just think—that will be something for Aunt Virginia to boast of,” said Elinor. Ben turned toward her, and Stephen thought he detected a careworn look in his eyes. He smiled, but only with his lips, as he answered: “Pray heaven, it won't be too long a time in coming, my dear girl!” Somehow Stephen instantly resented their intimacy. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR REDDY took his mother West. It was a journey that he ===conducted with much ostentatious display, but the opportunities in this respect were far less extended than he could have wished. It was only when they were West of Chicago, however, that he felt perfectly at home; for out of Chicago the sleeper was crowded with men who talked tirelessly of cattle and mines, and who told how much they were worth, or any other little personal matter that might be accounted of general public interest, with simple candour and without shame. In their presence Reddy parted with the last vestige of suspicion that the conservative East had bred in him. “These are the people!” he thought.