had come and gone." Another pause. "Those years are
what I would fain save you from," said Dr. Craig, slowly.

He had been encouraged to proceed by the respectful attention of the
motionless form beside him. A deep sigh, or an inarticulate murmur on
the young man's part alone showed that he was following what was said,
and that it struck home,--but he remained rigid, and there might even
have been something of stubbornness in the set of his shoulders. What if
after all he refused to learn the lesson thus sternly and withal
tenderly taught? "Maybe I've wasted my breath," mentally queried the
other, frowning and biting his lip. Already he was repenting himself of
the confidence wrung out of him, when all in a moment the scene changed.

"My lad--my lad," he cried, for Tommy had flung himself across the
table, sobbing as though his heart would break.

"So, so? I should have spoken before," muttered the doctor, half-aloud.
"It's the old story of shutting the door on the empty stable.--Tommy?"

But Tommy only quivered and shrank, as again a heavy hand was laid upon
his shoulder. "Be a man," exhorted a gruff voice overhead. ("To be soft
now would be damnation. It's the hammer he needs.") "Take it like a
man--not like a whimpering bairn,"--and the speaker's grip tightened.
"What? What d'ye say? Let you be? What for then did I bare my soul to
you just now--do you think _that_ cost me nothing? Up! Fight with it.
Master it." Then more gently: "Would you have me ashamed of you, Tommy?"

"I--I--I'm ashamed of nothing," gasped the unfortunate youth, suddenly
assuming a bravado he was far from feeling. "What have I to be ashamed
of? I have never done anything, nor said anything----"

"Nor--_thought_--anything?"

Tommy's head fell upon his breast.

"Where were you going when I stopped you?" proceeded his mentor,
sternly. "You know the road, I'm thinking. And it can't be _all_ on one
side. She may have led you on, but----"

"Not a word against her." Tommy started up, inflamed. "Say what you will
of me; strike at me as you will; sneer and scoff----"

"Hoots!" said the doctor, shortly. This melodramatic attitude annoyed
him.

"Aye, it's just 'hoots!'" he repeated, bringing his big, red face close
to the pale and frenzied one before him, "and lucky for you it is. I'm
not going to take offence, my man--and that's the long and the short of
it. I know you've been bamboozled--I _know_ it,"--bearing down
interruption; "and you're st