Though Alice defended Keith, she felt in her heart there was some truth in her mother’s estimate.  He was too romantic.  She soon had proof of it.

General Keith came up to the Ridge just then to see Gordon.  At least, he gave this out as the reason for his visit, and Gordon did not know until afterwards that there was another reason for it—­that he had been in correspondence for some time with Dr. Balsam.  He was looking thin; but when Gordon spoke of it, he put it by with a smile.

“Oh, I am very well.  We need not worry about my troubles.  I have but two:  that old wound, and Old Age; both are incurable.”

Gordon was very pleased to have the opportunity to introduce his father to Mrs. Yorke and Miss Alice.  As he scanned the thin, fine face with its expression of calm and its lines of fortitude, he felt that it was a good card to play.  His resemblance to the man-in-armor that hung in the old dining-room had increased.

The General and Miss Alice promptly became great friends.  He treated her with a certain distinction that pleased her.  Mrs. Yorke, too, was both pleased and flattered by his gracious manner.  She was, however, more critical toward him than her daughter was.

General Keith soon discovered Gordon’s interest in the young girl.  It was not difficult to discover, for every moment of his spare time was devoted to her in some way.  The General observed them with a quiet smile in his eyes.  Now and then, however, the smile died out as he heard Gordon expressing views which were somewhat new to him.  One evening they were all seated on the verandah together, and Gordon began to speak of making a fortune as a high aim.  He had heard Mrs. Yorke express the same sentiments a few days before.

“My son,” said his father, gently, looking at him with grave eyes, “a fortune is a great blessing in the hands of the man who knows how to spend it.  But riches considered as something to possess or to display is one of the most despicable and debasing of all the aims that men can have.”

Mrs. Yorke’s eyes opened wide and her face hardened a little.  Gordon thought of the toil and patience it had cost him to make even his little salary, and wealth appeared to him just then a very desirable acquisition.

“Why, father,” he said, “it opens the world to a man.  It gives such great opportunities for everything; travel, knowledge, art, science, power, the respect and esteem of the world, are obtained by it.”

Something like this Mrs. Yorke had said to him, meaning, kindly enough, to encourage him in its pursuit.

The old General smiled gravely.

“Opportunity for travel and the acquirement of knowledge wealth undoubtedly gives, but happily they are not dependent upon wealth, my son.  The Columbuses of science, the Galileos, Newtons, Keplers; the great benefactors of the world, the great inventors, the great artists, the great poets, philosophers, and statesmen have few of them been rich.”