"I may not have lived as cleanly as I might have," he said soberly. "I
have been knocked about so much. There were times when I grew tired of
fighting. But I have never done anything that will not stand daylight.
There was a time, Patty, when I came near making a fool of myself." He
sat down, his legs swinging over the water. "I drank more than was
good for me. He stared into the brown water and watched the minnows as
they darted hither and thither. "I was alone; things went wrong, and I
was cowardly enough to fall into the habit. But it was only
periodically. You remember that letter I showed you?"
"Yes." Patty's voice was low.
"I believe I have read it a thousand times. It has caused me a great
many regrets. I should like, some day, to meet the writer and
disillusion her. One thing she may be sure of: I have never belittled
the talent God has given me. I have striven for the ideal; I have even
fought for it. That part of my life holds no stain."
"But the habit?" hesitant.
"It is gone, where all fool-habits go, when a man has will power to
rid himself of them. Pride has something to do with it; and I have my
share of pride.
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