'It's what I am, not what I come from, and I'll prove it.' God knows I've tried. Out in the East, where nobody knows who anybody is or cares, it works splendidly—but here, it's so different. Why, if people knew they wouldn't ask me about, they wouldn't let me know their daughters, they would influence their sons against associating with me—here in this free and equal country, where a man's a man for what he is—here where the names of Hamilton and Jefferson are held in great esteem—here where the sins of the fathers are not supposed to be visited upon the children—here's the place to anchor if you want to see pride of descent! And since it is so, I will go away and not bring any troubles of that kind on her. If I haven't been honest before, I'll be honest now—God help me! I'll go away."
He took her letters out of the writing-case and turned them over lovingly. In the same compartment with them was the old photograph of his father and mother. He kept it always near him. He took it
