Driving, as it does,
the younger sons into the army, the navy, the church, and the law may
be beneficial, for the branches of our national defence and the
professions must be recruited from a stratum of intelligent men; the
lack of money may be a spur to ambition in many instances, but it
often leads to devious practices, and--" he saw that he had three
interested listeners--"the whole system is contrary to your
countrymen's idea that all men are created free and equal. While I
cannot accept that doctrine _in toto_, I do believe that the bestowal
of titles and fortune upon the eldest son is attended with grave
evils, not only among our nobility, but in our royal successions. The
Almighty does not follow such a law in endowing his children, and it
is contrary to Nature's _dictum_ 'the survival of the fittest.'"
Sir Stuart had expressed such opinions during his term in Parliament.
The path of the political pioneer is strewn with temporary defeats,
but all reforms, based upon truth, are ultimately successful, or life
would be a stagnant pool instead of a river of progress.
A letter from Maude contained a solution of the mystery.
"DEAR AUNT ELLA AND SISTER FLO:--What a rumpus there has been about
that raised check. Father was as dumb as an oyster about the affair
until he had it all settled, then he told ma and me.
"How you two feminines must have suffered--one from hopeless love--
and the other from helpless sympathy.
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