Page:The Father Confessor, Stories of Danger and Death.djvu/96

86 he must have done him some injury. And then it came out that he was to get the position at the office where Henry had been so long.

"You see, you are so slow," he said; "and now that I am grown they think it would be all the same if I took your place."

"And what is to become of me?" Henry asked.

"You? Oh, we were thinking—the rest and myself"—the young fellow hesitated—"now that the girls are married and the boys all doing for themselves, that—that you might go and study your art. You always wanted to, you know; and the house is so small for us boys, now that we have grown up."

Henry looked about him. The first thought was of loss and desolation—he was of no use in the world.

"I might go to America," he said, thinking.

"A grand idea!" His brother was charmed. "It's quite easy to make a fortune there. You'd better go at once. You will be richer than us all, old fellow." He patted him on the shoulder. He was delighted; he never felt so kindly to his brother before. They would all love him so much if he would take the gloom of his presence