To his daughters he had been the same,--always anxious for every good thing on their behalf, but never able to make the children conscious of this anxiety.

When they were taken from him, he suffered in silence, as such men do suffer; and he suffered the more because he knew well how little of gentleness there had been in his manners with them.
But he had hoped, as he sat alone in his desolate house, that it would be different with him and his only son,--with his son who was now the only thing left to him.

But the son was a boy, and he had to look forward to what years might bring him rather than to present happiness from that source.

When the boy came home for his holidays, the father would sometimes walk with him, and discourse on certain chosen subjects,--on the politics of the day, in regard to which Mr.Caldigate was an advanced Liberal, on the abomination of the Game Laws, on the folly of Protection, on the antiquated absurdity of a State Church;--as to all which matters his son John lent him a very inattentive ear.

Then the lad would escape and kill rabbits, or rats, or even take birds' nests, with a zest for such pursuits which was disgusting to the father, though he would not absolutely forbid them.