And do
you want to know what made me realize it to-day, as never before?"
The old man waited.
"It was the sight of you, sir--and--the recognition of the power you
have been all your life;--and the--sudden appreciation of the"--he
stumbled a little, but he brought the words out forcefully at the
end--"of the very great gentleman you are!"
He could not see the hot tears spring into the old eyes which had not
known such a sign of emotion for many years. But he could feel the throb
in the low voice which answered him after a moment.
"I may not deserve that, Dick, but--it touches me, coming from you."
When Richard had gone back to his own room, Matthew Kendrick lay for a
long time, wide awake, too happy to sleep. In the next room his
grandson, before he slept, had formulated one more new idea:
"There's something in the association with people like these that makes
a fellow feel like being absolutely honest with them, with
everybody--most of all with himself. What is it?"
And pondering this, he was lost in the world of dreams.
CHAPTER XVI
ENCOUNTERS
"By the way, Rob, I saw Rich Kendrick to-day.
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