y, but so that his mouth and
nose gushed out blood; and, at the same time, he said, turning to his
cronies: "Does any of you know who the infernal puppy is?"

"Do you know, Sir?" said one of the onlookers, a stranger, "the
gentleman is your own brother, Sir--Mr. Robert Wringhim Colwan!"

"No, not Colwan, Sir," said Robert, putting his hands in his pockets,
and setting himself still farther forward than before, "not a Colwan,
Sir; henceforth I disclaim the name."

"No, certainly not," repeated George. "My mother's son you may be--but
not a Colwan! There you are right." Then, turning around to his
informer, he said: "Mercy be about us, Sir! Is this the crazy
minister's son from Glasgow?"

This question was put in the irritation of the moment, but it was too
rude, and far too out of place, and no one deigned any answer to it. He
felt the reproof, and felt it deeply; seeming anxious for some
opportunity to make an acknowledgment, or some reparation.

In the meantime, young Wringhim was an object to all of the uttermost
disgust. The blood flowing from his mouth and nose he took no pains to
stem, neither did he so much as wipe it away; so that it spread over
all his cheeks, and breast, even off at his toes. In that state did he
take up his station in the middle of the competitors; and he did not
now keep his place, but ran about, impeding everyone who attempted to
make at the ball. They loaded him with execrations, but it availed
nothing; he seemed courting persecution and buffetings, keeping
steadfastly to his old joke of damnation, and marring the game so
completely that, in spite of every effort on the part of the players,
he forced them to stop their game and give it up. He was such a
rueful-looking object, covered with blood, that none of them had the
heart to kick him, although it appeared the only thing he wanted; and,
as for George, he said not another word to him, either in anger or
reproof.

When the game was fairly given up, and the party were washing their
hands in the stone fount, some of them besought Robert Wringhim to wash
himself; but he mocked at them, and said he was much better as he was.
George, at length, came forward abashedly towards him, and said: "I
have been greatly to blame, Robert, and am very sorry for what I have
done. But, in the first instance, I erred through ignorance, not
knowing you were my brother, which you certainly are; and, in the
second, through a momentary irritation, for whi