other man. Am I
not right in that assumption?"

"My son is of hasty temper," replied Mrs. Bowles, reluctantly, "and
people should not aggravate him."

"You grant the fact, then?" said Kenelm, imperturbably, but with a
polite inclination of head. "Mr. Bowles has often been engaged in these
encounters, and in all of them it is quite clear that he provoked the
battle; for you must be aware that he is not the sort of man to whom any
other would be disposed to give the first blow. Yet, after these little
incidents had occurred, and Mr. Bowles had, say, half killed the person
who aggravated him, you did not feel any resentment against that person,
did you? Nay, if he had wanted nursing, you would have gone and nursed
him."

"I don't know as to nursing," said Mrs. Bowles, beginning to lose her
dignity of mien; "but certainly I should have been very sorry for him.
And as for Tom,--though I say it who should not say,--he has no more
malice than a baby: he'd go and make it up with any man, however badly
he had beaten him."

"Just as I supposed; and if the man had sulked and would not make it up,
Tom would have called him a bad fellow, and felt inclined to beat him
again."

Mrs. Bowles's face relaxed into a stately smile.

"Well, then," pursued Kenelm, "I do but humbly imitate Mr. Bowles, and I
come to make it up and shake hands with him."

"No, sir,--no," exclaimed Mrs. Bowles, though in a low voice, and
turning pale. "Don't think of it. 'Tis not the blows; he'll get over
those fast enough: 'tis his pride that's hurt; and if he saw you there
might be mischief. But you're a stranger, and going away: do go soon; do
keep out of his way; do!" And the mother clasped her hands.

"Mrs. Bowles," said Kenelm, with a change of voice and aspect,--a
voice and aspect so earnest and impressive that they stilled and awed
her,--"will you not help me to save your son from the dangers into which
that hasty temper and that mischievous pride may at any moment hurry
him? Does it never occur to you that these are the causes of terrible
crime, bringing terrible punishment; and that against brute force,
impelled by savage passions, society protects itself by the hulks and
the gallows?"

"Sir; how dare you--"

"Hush! If one man kill another in a moment of ungovernable wrath, that
is a crime which, though heavily punished by the conscience, is gently
dealt with by the law, which calls it only manslaughter; but if a motive
to the violence, su