Haven't you gone back to school?"
"Yes, sir; but I came home to spend Sunday. It doesn't seem much like
home now," he added, as his lip quivered.
"You have suffered a great loss, my dear boy," said the colonel,
feelingly.
"The greatest, sir. My mother was all I had."
"I suppose Mr. Manning will keep up the establishment?"
"I suppose so, sir; but it is no longer home to me."
"Don't take it too hard, Frank. I was sorry about the will."
"So was I, sir; because it makes me dependent on a man whom I dislike."
"Don't be too prejudiced, Frank. I never took any fancy to your
stepfather myself; but then we don't need to like everybody we associate
with."
"I hear you have bought my horse, Col. Vincent," said Frank, desiring to
change the subject.
"Was Ajax your horse?"
"Yes. It was given to me as a birthday present by my mother."
"I had some such idea, and expressly asked Mr. Manning whether the horse
was not yours."
"What did he answer?"
"That it was only nominally yours, and that he thought it best to sell
it, as both you and Mark were absent at school, and had no time to use
it."
"I am not surprised at anything Mr.
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