174 THE SOUTH BAY. 



were soiled while we were fishing." Strictly true, 

 but not all the truth. 



"The deacon across the way came home rather 

 muddy, they say. What luck did you have ? Did 

 it rain while you were out ? There was not a cloud 

 to be seen in New York." 



The father felt it would be useless to evade the 

 question, and related the whole story, bearing kind- 

 ly the good-natured comments of his son, between 

 whom and himself there was a feeling of friendship 

 as well as of affection. 



" And now, father," Harry began, after the recital 

 was over, " and now how are you going to make up ? 

 You will have to make the first step, because you 

 were not in the wrong." 



"Or, more truly, because my son loves the 

 daughter of the person who has ill-used me. Are 

 you not angry at my being left to walk home this 

 hot day ? » 



" I should be, if that wagon had not come along ; 

 everything depends on that wagon. You know it 

 was much pleasanter than riding with an angry 

 man." 



" But then the dust ; my clothes are ruined ; a 

 new suit will diminish your patrimony, which is not 

 enormous." 



" Then I'll make you a present of a splendid suit 

 of black on my wedding day. I am rich, at least in 

 expectation, being a partner and no longer a clerk." 



" To tell the truth," continued the father, drop- 

 ping the tone of badinage, " I did feel ashamed of 



