"No,
sir!" he replied, emphatically. "The till is safer under his care than
it would be in that of one man in ten. The boy comes, sir, of honest
parents. Simon Slade never wronged anybody out of a farthing."

"Oh," said I, quickly, "you altogether misapprehend me. I had no
reference to the till, but to the bottle."

The landlord's brows were instantly unbent, and a broad smile circled
over his good-humored face.

"Is that all? Nothing to fear, I can assure you. Frank has no taste for
liquor, and might pour it out for mouths without a drop finding its way
to his lips. Nothing to apprehend there, sir--nothing."

I saw that further suggestions of danger would be useless, and so
remained silent. The arrival of a traveler called away the landlord,
and I was left alone for observation and reflection. The bar adjoined
the neat sitting-room, and I could see, through the open door, the
customer upon whom the lad was attending. He was a well-dressed young
man--or rather boy, for he did not appear to be over nineteen years of
age--with a fine, intelligent face, that was already slightly marred by
sensual indulgence. He raised the glass to his lips, with a quick,
almost eager motion, and drained it at a single draught.

"Just right," said he, tossing a sixpence to the young bar-tender. "You
are first rate at a brandy-toddy. Never drank a better in my life."

The lad's smiling face told that he was gratified by the compliment. To
me the sight was painful, for I saw that this youthful tippler was on
dangerous ground.

"Who is that young man in the bar?" I asked, a few minutes afterward,
on being rejoined by the landlord.

Simon Slade stepped to the door and looked into the bar for a moment.

Two or three men were there by this time; but he was at no loss in
answering my question.

"Oh, that's a son of Judge Hammond, who lives in the large brick house
as you enter the village. Willy Hammond, as everybody familiarly calls
him, is about the finest young man in our neighborhood. There is
nothing proud or put-on about him--nothing--even if his father is a
judge, and rich into the bargain. Every one, gentle or simple, likes
Willy Hammond. And then he is such good company. Always so cheerful,
and always with a pleasant story on his tongue. And he's so
high-spirited withal, and so honorable. Willy Hammond would lose his
right hand rather than be guilty of a mean action."

"Landlord!" The voice came loud from the road in front o