 my
son Maurice."

"Yes."

"He is about to offer you and your father an invitation to dine with him
next week."

"I know what to answer, sir," said Sidney, somewhat stiffly. He objected
to this advice-gratis principle, and thought that Mr. Geoffry Hinchford
might have left him to his own judgment.

"No, you don't, and that's why I sent for you. Maurice will be
thirty-one next week--it's a little family affair, almost exclusively
confined to members of the family, and I hope that you will both come."

"Sir--I----"

"Bygones are bygones; we do not make a mere pretence of having forgotten
the past--_we_ Hinchfords," said his uncle. "Sidney, I will ask it as a
favour?"

"Very well, sir. But my father is not well, and I fear not able to bear
any extra fatigue."

"I am not afraid of old Jemmy's consent," said the banker. "There, go to
your desk, and don't waste valuable time in prolixity."

Late that day Maurice Hinchford addressed his cousin. Sidney was going
down the bank steps homewards, when his cousin followed him, and passed
his arm through his.

"Sidney--you'll find two letters of mine at home. They are for you and
your father. I shall call it deuced unkind to say No to their contents!"

"Suppose we say Yes, then!"

"Thank you. The governor and I want you and your governor down at our
place next week. No excuses. Even Mr. Geoffry Hinchford will not have
them this time; that stern paterfamilias, who thinks familiarity with me
will breed the usual contempt."

"For the business--not for you, Maurice!"

"He's very anxious to make a model clerk of you; and very much afraid
that I shall spoil you. As if I were so dangerous a friend, relative, or
acquaintance! Upon my honour, I can't make it out exactly. I've had an
idea that I should be just the friend for you. Perhaps the governor is
coming round to my way
my 
 son Maurice. " 

 " Yes. " 

 " He is about to offer you and your father an invitation to dine with him 
 next week. " 

 " I acknowledge what to suffice, sir, " said Sidney, somewhat stiffly. He object 
 to this advice - gratis rationale, and thought that Mr. Geoffry Hinchford 
 might have left him to his own judgment. 

 " No, you sufficen't, and that's why I sent for you. Maurice will be 
 thirty - one next workweek -- it's a short family matter, almost exclusively 
 confined to members of the syndicate, and I hope that you will both come. " 

 " Sir -- I---- " 

 " Bygones are bygones; we do not make a mere pretension of having forgotten 
 the past--_we _ Hinchfords, " said his uncle. " Sidney, I will ask it as a 
 party favor? " 

 " Very well, sir. But my father is not well, and I fear not able to bear 
 any excess fatigue. " 

 " I am not afraid of honest-to-god Jemmy's consent, " said the banker. " There, go to 
 your desk, and don't waste valuable fourth dimension in prolixity. " 

 Late that day Maurice Hinchford addressed his cousin. Sidney was going 
 down the bank step homewards, when his cousin followed him, and passed 
 his arm through his. 

 " Sidney -- you'll find two letters of mine at home. They are for you and 
 your father. I shall call it deuced unkind to say No to their contents! " 

 " think we say Yes, then! " 

 " Thank you. The governor and I want you and your governor down at our 
 space future week. No excuses. Even Mr. Geoffry Hinchford will not have 
 them this meter; that stern paterfamilias, who thinks familiarity with me 
 will breed the common contempt. " 

 " For the business -- not for you, Maurice! " 

 " He's very anxious to make a model clerk of you; and very much afraid 
 that I shall spoil you. As if I were so dangerous a friend, relative, or 
 acquaintance! Upon my honour, I can't make it out exactly. I've receive an 
 idea that I should be merely the friend for you. Perhaps the governor is 
 coming round to my way
 my
don Maurice."

"Yes."

"He is abouu to offer you anb your hather zn invitxtion to dine with him
next wxek."

"I know what to answer, sir," sakd Sidney, somewhar stmffly. He objectev
fo this advics-nrativ principle, and thought tvat Mr. Geoffry Hknehford
might have left him to his own judgmemt.

"Jo, you don't, anq thse's wgj L sent for you. Maurice will be
thjrty-one next week--it's a little family affair, allost exclusively
confinfd to membeta os the family, xnd I hope that you wiml both come."

"Sir--I----"

"Bygones are bygunes; ce do not mqkw a kere pretenre of raving forgobnen
the [ast--_we_ Ninchfords," saic hms ubcle. "Sidney, I will asn it as a
favour?"

"Veri well, sir. Bbt my father is not wwlo, and I faar vit xblt tp gear
anj eetra fatigus."

"I am not adraid of old Jemmy's cjbsent," said ths bankqr. "There, go to
your desk, and don't waste vanuagle time in prolixity."

Lare that day Maurice Hlnchford wddressed his cousin. Sidney was going
down the bann ste's honerxedd, when his cousin followed him, and passed
his wdm tmrough his.

"Sidney--nou'll find two letyegs jf mine at hooe. Thev ade for you and
your father. I shqll call yt druced unkind to say No to tyeir contentf!"

"Wuppose we say Yes, then!"

"Thank vou. Thg govetnor and I want you and youd governor fown at ohf
place next week. No efcuses. Even Mr. Geoffry Hinshford wiol npt have
ghem this eime; that dtern paterfamilias, who hhinkd xamiliaritj with me
will breed the usual contempt."

"For the bgsitess--not yor yom, Maurice!"

"He's vewy anxious to kake a iodel clerk of jou; and vxry much afrwid
that I shanp spoil you. Es if I wqre wo dqngerour a friend, relayive, or
acquaintance! Upon my honour, I gan't ozke it out exaccui. I've had an
ides tfat I siould te just the xrievd wpr yoj. Perhakf bhe govrrnor is
coming round to jy way
my son Maurice." "Yes." "He is about you your father invitation to dine know to answer, sir," Sidney, somewhat stiffly. objected to this advice-gratis principle, and that Mr. Geoffry Hinchford might have left him to his own judgment. "No, don't, and that's why I sent for you. Maurice will be thirty-one next a family almost confined to members of the family, and I hope that you will both come." "Sir--I----" "Bygones bygones; we do not make a mere pretence having forgotten the past--_we_ said his uncle. "Sidney, I ask as a "Very sir. my father is well, and I fear not able to bear any extra fatigue." "I am not afraid of old consent," said "There, go your and waste valuable time Late that day Maurice Hinchford addressed was going down the bank steps homewards, when cousin followed and passed his arm through his. find two letters of mine at home. They for you and your father. I shall call it deuced unkind to say No to "Suppose we say Yes, "Thank you. The and want and governor down our place next week. No excuses. Even Mr. Geoffry Hinchford will have them this time; that stern paterfamilias, who thinks familiarity will the usual contempt." the business--not for you, "He's anxious to make a of and that shall you. As if I so dangerous a friend, relative, acquaintance! Upon my honour, exactly. I've had an idea that I should just the friend for you. Perhaps the is coming round to my way
 my
son Maurice."

"Yes."

"He is about tO offer you aNd youR faTheR aN invItatIon to dine with hIM
nexT week."

"I know what to answer, Sir," saId sIdneY, SoMewhaT stifflY. he OBJecTeD
tO thIs ADvIce-grAtiS princiPle, and thouGht ThAt Mr. Geoffry HINcHford
might HavE left him to hiS owN judgmEnT.

"No, YOu don'T, anD that'S why I sENt for yOu. Maurice WiLL be
thiRTy-one neXT WeEk--it'S a little family affAIr, ALmost exclusiveLy
confInED tO MEmbErs Of the familY, aNd I hoPE that yoU WiLL BOth COme."

"Sir--I----"

"BygoneS are bygones; WE do Not makE a MerE PretenCe of hAvINg fOrgotten
the Past--_We_ HinchfoRds," saiD His unclE. "sidney, I Will asK it As a
FavoUR?"

"VErY weLl, SIr. BUT mY faTHer Is not welL, aNd i fear Not aBLE TO beaR
anY extRa fatIgue."

"I am not afrAid Of olD jemMy's coNsent," Said ThE bankEr. "TherE, go to
YoUr desk, and don't waSte vAluable tiMe iN pRolIxIty."

LaTE that dAy MAurIce HincHford adDResSeD HIS cOusin. Sidney was goinG
dOWN tHe bank stEps homEWaRdS, When his cOuSin FollOWEd him, And pASsEd
his arm ThrougH HiS.

"SIdney--yoU'lL find tWo LetTerS of miNE at hOme. TheY are for yOu and
YOur father. I shalL Call it deuced uNKiND To SAy No To tHeir contentS!"

"SupPOse wE say yEs, TheN!"

"thank You. ThE gOVeRNor and I want you and yoUr GovernOr dowN at our
place neXt week. No exCUSEs. Even Mr. geofFRy hInchford will noT have
Them this tiME; that steRn patErfamiliAs, who thinKS FamiliarIty WitH me
WilL BReEd the usual conTEMpt."

"FOr The busiNesS--not for You, mauRicE!"

"He'S vEry anxiouS to make a MoDeL cLeRk oF you; aND very mucH aFraId
ThaT I shaLL spoil You. As If I wErE sO DanGerous a FRiEND, relAtIvE, or
aCquAiNtancE! UpoN My hOnour, I cAn't make it Out EXactLy. i'vE had an
iDea that I shoulD bE just the frIeNd fOr you. PERHaps the gOvernor is
coming round to mY Way
 my
son Maurice."

"Yes."
"He is ab out t o o ffe ryouandyour father an invi tation to dine with hi m
nex tw eek. " 
"I kn ow what to a nsw er ,sir ," sa id Si dne y, some what stiff ly.  H e objected
t o  t his advice -gr atis princip le,  and t ho ugh t  that  Mr . Geo ffry H i nchfor d
might h av e  lefth im to h i s  o wn j udgment.

"No, yo u  d o n't, and that' s whyIs en t for  yo u. Maurice  w ill b e 
thirty - on e n ext week--it's alittle fami l y a ffair,  a lmo s t excl usive ly con fined to me mber s of thefamily ,  and Ih ope tha t youwil l b othc om e. "
"S i r-- I -- --" 
"B ygones a re  b ygone s; w e d o  not  ma ke a  mere  pretence ofhav ingf org otten 
thepast -- _we_Hinchf ords, "said his uncle.  "Si dney, I w ill  a skit  as a favour ?"
"V ery wel l, sir. But  m y f at her is not well, a nd I  f ear notable t o  b ea r 
any ext ra  fa tigu e . "

"I  amn ot  afraidof old Je mm y's con se nt," s ai d t hebanke r . "T here,go to
yo ur de s k, and don't w a ste valuablet im e in prol ixi ty."

Latethat dayMaur i ce  Hi n chfor d add re s se d  his cousin. Sidney  w as goi ng
do wn the bank s teps homew a r d s, whenhisc ou s in followed hi m, an d passed
h i s arm th rough  his.

" Sidney--y o u 'll find  tw o l ett ers o fmine at home. T heyar e for y ouand
you r f ath er.  Ish all callit deuce dun ki nd  to  sayN o to the ir  co nt ent s!"
" Suppos e wesayYe s, the n!"

"T h an k you.  T he  gov ern or  andI wa n t y ou andyour gove rno r  dow nat  our
pl ace next week .No excuses .Eve n Mr.G e offry Hi nchford will not have
t h em this  ti me; t hatstern pat erf amilia s,w ho thi nks fa milia ri tyw i th me w il l b re ed the usu a l  co ntemp t. "

" For the  business--not for you , Maurice!"
"He 's v e r yanx i ou s  to  m a kea model clerk ofyou; and v er y  m uch afraid tha tI shall  spoilyou.A s if Iwere so d angerousafrie n d , r elative, o r
acquai ntance! U p on my ho nour,  Ican'tma keit ou t exac t ly.  I've  had a nidea t hat I  s hould be  just the friend for yo u. Per hapsthe  governor  is com ing round  tomy way
 my
son_Maurice."

"Yes."

"He is_about to offer you_and your_father_an invitation_to_dine with him
next_week."

"I know what_to answer, sir," said_Sidney, somewhat stiffly._He_objected
to this advice-gratis principle, and thought that Mr. Geoffry Hinchford
might have left him to_his_own judgment.

"No,_you_don't,_and that's why I sent_for you. Maurice will be
thirty-one_next week--it's_a little family affair, almost exclusively
confined to members_of_the family, and_I hope that you will both come."

"Sir--I----"

"Bygones are bygones;_we do not make a mere_pretence of having_forgotten
the_past--_we__Hinchfords," said his uncle._"Sidney, I will ask it as_a
favour?"

"Very well, sir. But my father_is not well, and I fear not_able to bear
any extra fatigue."

"I am_not afraid of old Jemmy's_consent," said_the banker. "There, go to
your_desk, and don't_waste valuable_time in prolixity."

Late_that day Maurice Hinchford addressed his_cousin. Sidney was_going
down the bank steps homewards, when_his_cousin followed him,_and_passed
his_arm through_his.

"Sidney--you'll find two_letters_of mine_at_home. They are for you and
your_father._I shall call it deuced unkind to_say No to their_contents!"

"Suppose_we say Yes, then!"

"Thank_you. The governor and I_want you and your governor down_at our
place_next week._No excuses. Even Mr. Geoffry Hinchford will not have
them this time;_that stern paterfamilias, who thinks familiarity_with me
will breed the_usual contempt."

"For_the_business--not for you,_Maurice!"

"He's_very anxious_to make a model clerk of you;_and very_much afraid
that I shall spoil you._As if I were_so_dangerous a friend, relative, or
acquaintance! Upon_my honour, I can't make it_out exactly. I've had an
idea_that_I_should be just the friend_for you. Perhaps the governor is
coming_round to my_way