Roger was deeply moved, for he had no idea that his uncle was cherishing such far-reaching plans in his behalf.  While he had little sympathy with the cold, selfish side of the programme, his strong ambition responded powerfully to the prospect held out to him.  He knew that the hopes inspired were not vain, for his uncle was a man whose deeds always outstripped his words, and that his fortunes were practically assured if he would follow the worldly-wise policy to which he had listened.  His ambition whispered, “Mildred Jocelyn does not love you, and never will.  Even now, after you have done so much for her, and her gratitude is boundless, her heart shrinks from you.  She may not be able to help it, but it is true nevertheless.  Why should you throw away such prospects for the sake of one who loves another man, and who, until in a time of desperate need, treated you with undisguised coldness and dislike?  Besides, by yielding to your uncle’s will you can eventually do more for the family than if thrown on your own resources.”  It was indeed the great temptation of his life, and he wavered.

“Uncle,” he said irresolutely, “you have indeed opened a very alluring prospect, and I am grateful that you think So well of me, and that you are willing to do so much.  Since you have been so frank with me, I will be equally so with you,” and he told him all about his relations with the Jocelyns, and tried to make the shrewd old merchant understand that they were not common people.

“They are the most dangerous people of all,” he interrupted impatiently.  “Having once been up in the world, they think they are still as good as anybody, and are wild to regain their old position.  If they had always been poor and commonplace, they would not be so likely to presume.  What you say about the girl’s not caring for you is sheer nonsense.  She’d marry you to-morrow if she could.  The one idea of such people is to get out of the slough into which they have fallen, and they’ll marry out of it the first chance they get, and like enough they’ll do worse if they can’t marry.  I tell you they are the most dangerous kind of people, and Southern at that.  I’ve learned all about them; the father has gone to the devil for good and all, and, with your feeling and weakness toward them, you’ll never be safe a moment unless you drop them completely and finally.  Come, young man, let this affair be the test between us.  I’ve worked hard for nearly a lifetime, and have a right to impose some conditions with what has been earned by forty years of toil, early and late.  I never speculated once.  Every dollar I had to spare I put in paying real estate and governments, and, Roger, I’m worth to-day a good half a million.  Ha, ha, ha! people who look at the plain old man in the plain little house don’t know that he could afford a mansion on the Avenue better than most of them.  This is between ourselves, but I want you to act with your eyes open.  If you are such