"What concern me the quirks and hints I hear concerning Jule?" pursued Fox, unable, in spite of his father, to contain himself from a stroke at his sister; "let them fly about thick as midges, they are naught to me--they do not sting me. Why, father, you should grudge me Bessie Cleverdon, I cannot see. If you respect her so highly--think so excellent well of her--I doubt but no other maid would so content you as a daughter-in-law as she." "A better girl does not exist," answered Mr. Crymes. "I would desire her a better fate than to be united to thee." "She is not comely, that is a fact," continued Fox, "but she will be the richest heiress in all the Tavistock district--between here and Plymouth and Exeter. Now that Master Cleverdon has fallen out with his son, and that there is no riddance by Anthony of the wife with whom he has saddled himself, not to please his father, or himself--or Jule yonder----" Mr. Crymes brought his fist down on the table. "I will drive thee out of the room at another word against thy sister." "Do you notice, father," exclaimed Julian, with flaming cheeks, "it is poor Bessie's money and the lands of Hall that he covets, and he seeks this by levering out of his place his best friend and old comrade." "Did I lever him out of his place?" retorted Fox. "He did it himself, and never a little finger did I put to help in his upsettal." "No, but you are ready to profit by his loss; ready, if you could, to get me as your confederate in fencing every inlet by which he might return to his father," said Julian, vehemently. "Because one man is a fool, is that reason why his friend--as you choose to term me--should not be wise? Because one man throws away a diamond, why his comrade should not pick it up and wear it on his finger?" "The case is not the same. It is taking the jewel, and smiting the rightful owner in the face when he puts forth his hand to reclaim it, and that rightful owner--your friend." "My friend!" exclaimed Fox, angrily. "Why should you call Anthony Cleverdon 'my friend?' Was it an act of a friend--a dear, considerate friend--to strike me in the eye and half blind me? Look!" Fox turned his left side towards his sister. "Do I not carry about with me a mark of friendship--a pledge to be redeemed? Trust me, I shall return that blow with usury some day, when the occasion comes." "And you will employ poor Bessie as your lash wherewith you filip him in the face. You are a coward--a mean----" "Silence!" commanded Mr. Crymes. "There is no grain of brotherly love between you two----" "Not a grain," threw in Julian, hotly. Fox bowed sarcastically. "You observe, father," he said, "that here I am at a disadvantage, between a sister who spars at me and a father who treads me down." "I do not tread on you save when you grovel in the dirt," answered Mr. Crymes, "in base and dishonest matters, and I do esteem this suit of Elizabeth Cleverdon as one such."