her than fear for Louis over what she had discovered.
In a sense he was prepared for this, somewhat, because of the glimpses
he had been getting that very evening of Louis's nature and its
temptations.

He kneeled by his wife and put his arm about her.

"This is too great for you to bear alone. Besides, it may not be as
hopeless or as terrible as you think. Let me see Louis. I have just been
having an evening with him. If he hasn't gone to bed I believe now is
the time for me to see him."

Esther had grown quiet. She seemed to be praying. Paul got up and went
out of the room along the hallway to Louis's room and knocked. At
Louis's answer he went in and found him at work on the writing desk.

Without any preliminary Paul held out the cards to Louis and said,
"Louis, are these yours?"

Louis' face blanched on the instant. His hand trembled so he could not
hold the cards still. He tried to answer but his tongue seemed
paralysed. His father repeated the question more sternly. Louis broke
down completely, flung himself on the bed in a spasm of fear and shame.

His father eyed him with conflicting feelings. Again he was strongly
reminded of Louis Darcy and his many experiences with him. Louis still
refused to answer, and Paul said:

"Look up here, Louis. Look up and answer me. Did you write that?"

His father thrust the paper his mother had found close up to the boy.
Louis cried out. "No, no, father. That is not mine. One of the
boys------"

Paul felt relieved as far as that went, for Louis had never lied to him.

"But these cards. Are these yours?"

"Yes."

"How long have you had them?"

"I got them yesterday."

"Give them to me." Louis handed them over and Paul tore them across
again and again and flung the pieces into the waste paper basket. Louis
had never seen his father angry like that before. He shrank and cowered
back while his father said:

"Louis, I would almost rather see you in your coffin than with those
vile things in your hands and their foul imaginings in your heart. Do
you realise what this will lead to? Your manhood will be blasted! your
soul blackened! your body tortured! all the angel in you turned into
animal------"

Paul nearly broke down himself. He shuddered and for one instant Louis
really caught a glimpse into the horror that sin causes.

But Paul Douglas was not a cowardly father nor one who is content to
leave it to boys to learn unaided bitter lessons from evil. He sat down