William Bannister Winfield was the most wonderful child. Of course,you had to have a certain amount of intelligence to see this. To thevapid and irreflective observer he was not much to look at in the earlystages of his career, having a dough-like face almost entirely devoidof nose, a lack-lustre eye, and the general appearance of a poachedegg. His immediate circle of intimates, however, thought him a model ofmanly beauty; and there was the undeniable fact that he had come intothe world weighing nine pounds. Take him for all in all, a lad ofpromise.

　　Kirk's sense of being in a dream continued. His identity seemed to haveundergone a change. The person he had known as Kirk Winfield haddisappeared, to be succeeded by a curious individual bubbling over withan absurd pride for which it was not easy to find an outlet. Hitherto arather reserved man, he was conscious now of a desire to accost perfectstrangers in the street and inform them that he was not the ordinaryperson they probably imagined, but a father with an intensely unusualson at home, and if they did not believe him they could come rightalong and see for themselves.

　　The only flaw in his happiness at the moment was the fact that hiscircle of friends was so small. He had not missed the old brigade ofthe studio before, but now the humblest of them would have beenwelcome, provided he would have sat still and listened. Even PercyShanklyn would have been acceptable as an audience.

　　Steve, excellent fellow, was always glad to listen to him on hisfavourite subject. He had many long talks with Steve on the question ofWilliam's future. Steve, as the infant's godfather, which post he hadclaimed and secured at an early date, had definite views on the matter.

　　Here, held Steve, was the chance of a lifetime. With proper training, ababy of such obvious muscular promise might be made the greatestfighter that ever stepped into the ring. He was the real White Hope. Headvised Kirk to direct William's education on the lines which wouldinsure his being, when the time was ripe, undisputed heavy-weightchampion of the world. To Steve life outside the ring was a pooraffair, practically barren of prizes for the ambitious.

　　Mrs. Lora Delane Porter, eyeing William's brow, of which there wasplenty, he being at this time extremely short of hair, predicted a lessrobust and more intellectual future for him. Something more on thelines of president of some great university or ambassador at someimportant court struck her as his logical sphere.

　　Kirk's view was that he should combine both careers and be anambassador who took a few weeks off every now and then in order todefend his champion's belt. In his spare time he might paint a pictureor two.

　　Ruth hesitated between the army, the navy, the bar, and business. Butevery one was agreed that William was to be something special.

　　This remarkable child had a keen sense of humour. Thus he seldom beganto cry in his best vein till the small hours of the morning; and onthese occasions he would almost invariably begin again after he hadbeen officially pronounced to be asleep. His sudden grab at the hair ofany adult who happened to come within reach was very droll, too.