The prospect was distasteful
but, urged by the man who believed in me, I took the place and
endured the hardships. Another winter of lonely work passed at
the Academy. I won the Farrell Scholarship the last year it was
offered, and that meant an Arts course for me. I went to Redmond
College. My story was not openly known there, but something of
it got abroad, enough to taint my life there also with its
suspicion. But the year I graduated, Mr. Blair's nephew, who, as
you know, was the real culprit, confessed his guilt, and I was
cleared before the world. Since then my career has been what is
called a brilliant one. But"--Malcolm turned and laid his hand
on Robert's thin shoulder--"all of my success I owe to my brother
Robert. It is his success--not mine--and here to-day, since we
have agreed to say what is too often left to be said over a
coffin lid, I thank him for all he did for me, and tell him that
there is nothing I am more proud of and thankful for than such a
brother."
Robert had looked up at last, amazed, bewildered, incredulous.
His face crimsoned as Malcolm sat down. But now Ralph was
getting up.
"I am no orator as Malcolm is," he quoted gayly, "but I've got a
story to tell, too, which only one of you knows. Forty years
ago, when I started in life as a business man, money wasn't so
plentiful with me as it may be to-day. And I needed it badly. A
chance came my way to make a pile of it.
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