. This is not my house, but the
cottage attached to the school, in which, while I teach the children, I
am allowed to live."

"Now you're beginning about my bit of tobacco," cried the lad. "You're
as bad as old Geringer!"

"Really, Hazel, you are in a very, very cruel frame of mind to-night,"
said Mrs Thorne, whimpering; "but never mind, my boy, you shall share
my home as long as your poor mamma has one. Perhaps Hazel will give us
a refuge here to-night--to-morrow we will seek one elsewhere."

"You will do no such foolish thing, mamma," said Hazel with spirit; "and
as for you, Percy, I insist upon knowing the whole truth."

The boy flushed and threw up his head defiantly; but Hazel rose from her
place, crossed to him, and laid her hands upon his shoulders. Then,
bending down, she kissed him, and stood by him with her arm round his
neck.

"Tell me everything, dear," she said; "it is your sister who asks."

For answer Percy dashed his pipe beneath the grate, laid his arms upon
the table, his head went down, and he began to cry like a great girl.

"Oh, Hazel, Hazel, what have you done?" cried Mrs Thorne. "Percy,
Percy, my boy, come here."

"Hush, mother!" said Hazel sternly; and, kneeling down, she drew the
boy's unresisting head upon her shoulder, and held it there, smoothing
his hair the while.

"Oh, Hazy, Hazy," he sobbed at last. "I'm a beast--a brute--a wretch;
and I wish I was dead."

"There--there! Hazel, see what you have done!" cried Mrs Thorne
angrily. "Oh, my boy, my boy! Come here to me, Percy; I will stand by
you whatever comes."

But Percy seemed to be quite satisfied to stay where he was, for he made
no movement beyond that of yielding himself more and more to his
sister's embrace.

"Hush, dear!" she said tenderly. "If you have done wrong, be frank and
outspoken. Let us hear the truth."

For answer, the lad, approaching manhood in stature, but with his
child-nature still greatly in the ascendant, wept more bitterly; but at
last, perfectly heedless of his mother's plaints and appeals, he raised
his head, wiped his eyes, and, flinging his arms round his sister,
kissed her passionately again and again.

"There; now you will tell us all, Percy," said Hazel, responding to his
caresses.

"You'll turn your back on me if I do," he groaned.

"Is it likely that I should, Percy! There, speak out frankly--is it
something about money!"

"Yes," said the lad, hanging his head.

"You hav