mental balance,
which one day went down in favour of making a clean breast of all he
knew to his mother; the next day up went that side, for he felt quite
indignant with himself.

Here, he argued, was he, Frank Gowan, freshly appointed one of the
Prince's pages, a most honourable position for a youth of his years, and
with splendid prospects before him, cut off from his old school
friendships, and enjoying a new one with a handsome, well-born lad,
whom, in spite of many little failings at which he laughed, he
thoroughly admired for his dash, courage, and knowledge of the world
embraced by the court. This lad had completely taken him under his
wing, made him proud by the preference he showed for his companionship,
and ready to display his warm admiration for his new friend by making
him the confidant of his secret desires; and what was he, the trusted
friend, about to do? Play traitor, and betray his confidence. But,
then, was not Andrew Forbes seeking to play traitor to the King?

"That's only talk and vanity," said the boy to himself. "He has done
nothing traitorous; but if I go and talk to any one, I shall have done
something--something cruelly treacherous, which must end in the poor
fellow being sent away from the court in disgrace, perhaps to a severe
punishment."

He turned cold at the thought.

"They hang or behead people for high treason," he thought; "and suppose
Drew were to be punished like that, how should I feel afterward? I
should never forgive myself. Besides, how could I go and worry my
mother about such a business as this? It is not women's work, and it
would only make her unhappy."

But he felt that he might go to his father, and confide the matter to
him, asking him on his honour not to do anything likely to injure Drew.

But he could not go and confide in his father, who was generally with
his regiment, and they only met on rare occasions. By chance he caught
sight of him on duty at the Palace with the guard, but he could not
speak to him then. At other times he was at his barrack quarters, and
rarely at his town house across the Park in Queen Anne Street. This
place was generally only occupied by the servants, Lady Gowan having
apartments in the Palace.

Hence Frank felt that it would be very difficult to see his father and
confide in him, and he grew more at ease in consequence. It was the way
out of a difficulty most dear to many of us--to wit, letting things
drift to settle th