since. At times he seemed to forget the
business of the evening, but even in these periods he sat with a great
air of energy and determination. At times he meddled bitterly, and
launched with defiance those fines which are the precious and rarely
used artillery of the president. He little thought, as he did so, how he
resembled his father, but his friends remarked upon it, chuckling. So
far, in his high place above his fellow-students, he seemed set beyond
the possibility of any scandal; but his mind was made up--he was
determined to fulfil the sphere of his offence. He signed to Innes (whom
he had just fined and who had just impeached his ruling) to succeed him
in the chair, stepped down from the platform, and took his place by the
chimney-piece, the shine of many wax tapers from above illuminating his
pale face, the glow of the great red fire relieving from behind his slim
figure. He had to propose, as an amendment to the next subject in the
case-book, "Whether capital punishment be consistent with God's will or
man's policy?"

A breath of embarrassment, of something like alarm, passed round the
room, so daring did these words appear upon the lips of Hermiston's only
son. But the amendment was not seconded; the previous question was
promptly moved and unanimously voted, and the momentary scandal smuggled
by. Innes triumphed in the fulfilment of his prophecy. He and Archie
were now become the heroes of the night; but whereas every one crowded
about Innes, when the meeting broke up, but one of all his companions
came to speak to Archie.

"Weir, man! That was an extraordinary raid of yours!" observed this
courageous member, taking him confidentially by the arm as they went
out.

"I don't think it a raid," said Archie grimly. "More like a war. I saw
that poor brute hanged this morning, and my gorge rises at it yet."

"Hut-tut," returned his companion, and, dropping his arm like something
hot, he sought the less tense society of others.

Archie found himself alone. The last of the faithful--or was it only the
boldest of the curious?--had fled. He watched the black huddle of his
fellow-students draw off down and up the street, in whispering or
boisterous gangs. And the isolation of the moment weighed upon him like
an omen and an emblem of his destiny in life. Bred up in unbroken fear
himself, among trembling servants, and in a house which (at the least
ruffle in the master's voice) shuddered into silence, he saw himse