Jacob's Ladder

Precisely two years later, Jacob Pratt sat once more in his cottage sitting-room,contemplating the remains of a barely tasted breakfast. Before him, read for the fiftiethtime, were the wonderful letters, in his brain a most amazing confusion, in his heart analmost hysterical joy. Presently Mrs. Harris brought in his hat and stick."You'll excuse my mentioning it, sir," she said, looking at the former a little disparagingly,"but, brush though I may, there's no doing much with this hat of your...