"No more can I," retorted the General, "it serves her right that she never got a husband. No gentleman wants to throw his boots at his wife, but, by Jove, he likes to feel that if he were ever to do such a thing, she'd be the kind that would pick them up. He doesn't want to think everlastingly that he's got to walk a chalk-line or catch a flea in his ear. Now, what do you suppose Miss Matoaca said to me on Sunday? We were talking of Tom Frost's running for governor, and she said she hoped he wouldn't be elected because he led an impure life. An impure life! Will you tell me what business it is of an unmarried lady's whether a man leads an impure life or not? It isn't ladylike--I'll be damned if it is! I could see that Miss Mitty blushed for her. What's the world coming to, I ask, when a maiden lady isn't ashamed to know that a man leads an impure life?" He raged softly, and I could see that Dr. Theophilus was growing sterner over his flippancy. "Well, you're a gay old bird, George," he remarked, "and I dare say you think me something of a prude." Tearing off a leaf from his prescription book, he laid it on the table, and held out his hand. Then he stood for a minute with his eyes on Robin, who was marching stiffly round a bed of red geraniums near the gate. "It's time to go," he added; "that old dog of mine is getting ready to root up your geraniums." "You'd better keep a cat," observed the General, "they do less damage." Young George and I, who had stood in the shadow of the wistaria awaiting the doctor's departure, came forward now, and I made my awkward bow to the General's bandaged foot. "Any relative of Jack Starr?" he enquired affably as he shook my hand. I towered so conspicuously above him, while I stood there with my hat in my hand, that I was for a moment embarrassed by my mere physical advantages. "No, sir, not that I ever heard of," I answered. "Then you ought to be thankful," he returned peevishly, "for the first time I ever met the fellow he deliberately trod on my toe--deliberately, sir. And now they're wanting to nominate him for governor--but I say they shan't do it. I've no idea of allowing it. It's utterly out of the question." "Uncle George, I've brought Ben to see your library," interrupted young George at my elbow. "Library, eh? Are you going to be a lawyer?" demanded the General. I shook my head. "A preacher?" in a more reverent voice. "No, sir, I'm in the Old Dominion Tobacco Works. You got me my first job." "I got you your job--did I? Then you're the young chap that discovered that blend for smoking. I told Bob you ought to have a royalty on that. Did he give it to you?" "I'm to have ten per cent of the sales, sir. They've just begun." "Well, hold on to it--it's a good blend. I tried it. And when you get your ten per cent, put it into the Old South Chemical Company, if you want to grow rich. It isn't everybody I'd give that tip to, but I like the looks of you. How tall are you?"