ectly innocent, and free from all such attributes, I
suppose, sir," cried Lady Gowan sarcastically.

"Oh no, I'm not, mother," said the lad bluntly, as he felt he would give
anything to get away. "I've got a nasty, passionate temper; but I'm all
right if it isn't roused and Drew will keep on till he rouses it."

"Pitiful! Worse and worse!" cried Lady Gowan. "All this arose, I
suppose, out of some contemptible piece of banter or teasing. He said
something to you, then, that you did not like?"

"Yes," said Frank eagerly, "that was it."

"And pray what did he say?"

"Say--oh--er--he said--oh, it was nothing much."

"Speak out--the truth, sir," cried Lady Gowan, fixing her eyes upon her
son's.

"Oh, he said--something I did not like, mother."

"What was it, sir? I insist upon knowing."

"Oh, it was nothing much."

"Let me be the judge of that, sir. I, as your mother, would be only too
glad to find that you had some little excuse for such conduct."

"And then," continued Frank hurriedly, "I got put out, and--and I called
him a liar."

"What was it he said?"

"And then he struck me over the face with his glove, mother, and I
couldn't stand that, and I hit out, and sent him staggering against the
wall."

"Why?--what for?" insisted Lady Gowan.

"And in a moment he whipped out his sword and attacked me, and of course
I had to draw, or he would have run me through."

"Is that true, sir--Andrew Forbes drew on you first?"

"Of course it's true, mother," said the lad proudly. "Did I ever tell
you a lie?"

"Never, my boy," said Lady Gowan firmly. "It has been my proud boast to
myself that I could trust my son in everything."

"Then why did you ask me in that doubting way if it was true?"

"Because my son is prevaricating with me, and speaking in a strange,
evasive way. He never spoke to me like that before. Do you think me
blind, Frank? Do you think that I, upon whom your tiny eyes first
opened--your mother, who has watched you with all a mother's love from
your birth, cannot read every change in your countenance? Do you think
I cannot see that you are fighting hard to keep something back?--you,
whom I have always been so proud to think were as frank by nature as you
are by name? Come, be honest with me. You are hiding something from
me?"

"Yes, mother," cried the lad, throwing back his head and speaking
defiantly now, "I am."

"Then tell me what it is at once. I am your mother, from whom n