rried off his moral and intellectual legs, as
if he had lost his standing-point in the invisible world. Besides which,
the deep, loving loyalty which he felt for his old leader made the shock
intensely painful. It was the first great wrench of his life, the first
gap which the angel Death had made in his circle, and he felt numbed,
and beaten down, and spiritless. Well, well! I believe it was good for
him and for many others in like case, who had to learn by that loss
that the soul of man cannot stand or lean upon any human prop, however
strong, and wise, and good; but that He upon whom alone it can stand and
lean will knock away all such props in His own wise and merciful way,
until there is no ground or stay left but Himself, the Rock of Ages,
upon whom alone a sure foundation for every soul of man is laid.

As he wearily laboured at his line, the thought struck him, "It may
be all false--a mere newspaper lie." And he strode up to the recumbent
smoker.

"Let me look at the paper," said he.

"Nothing else in it," answered the other, handing it up to him
listlessly. "Hullo, Brown! what's the matter, old fellow? Ain't you
well?"

"Where is it?" said Tom, turning over the leaves, his hands trembling,
and his eyes swimming, so that he could not read.

"What? What are you looking for?" said his friend, jumping up and
looking over his shoulder.

"That--about Arnold," said Tom.

"Oh, here," said the other, putting his finger on the paragraph. Tom
read it over and over again. There could be no mistake of identity,
though the account was short enough.

"Thank you," said he at last, dropping the paper. "I shall go for a
walk. Don't you and Herbert wait supper for me." And away he strode,
up over the moor at the back of the house, to be alone, and master his
grief if possible.

His friend looked after him, sympathizing and wondering, and, knocking
the ashes out of his pipe, walked over to Herbert. After a short parley
they walked together up to the house.

"I'm afraid that confounded newspaper has spoiled Brown's fun for this
trip."

"How odd that he should be so fond of his old master," said Herbert. Yet
they also were both public-school men.

The two, however, notwithstanding Tom's prohibition, waited supper
for him, and had everything ready when he came back some half an hour
afterwards. But he could not join in their cheerful talk, and the party
was soon silent, notwithstanding the efforts of all three. One th