stead of that of love, it was scarcely
to be wondered at that his children resorted to every petty means of
covering their faults, and were often guilty of deception and
falsehood. Arthur Sydney's education had been widely different, and he
despised the meannesses which his cousins practiced; but when he
expostulated with them, as he frequently did, his words invariably
drew upon himself a torrent of invectives. They taunted him with his
dependence upon their father's charity, and asked what right a beggar
had to preach to _them_; and then the youth's proud heart would swell
within him, and he would rush to his own little room, and there,
unseen, give full vent to his wounded feelings.

His eldest cousin, Alfred Lindsay, who was always foremost in every
plan of mischief, and the most perfect adept in concealing the part he
had taken in it, was a twelvemonth Arthur's senior. From earliest
childhood the two had evinced a dislike to each other's society, and
as they grew up, the feeling did not diminish. At school they had been
rivals, and Arthur had now far outstripped Alfred in their course of
study. In various other ways he had also quite unintentionally foiled
his cousin's ambition; and he was convinced that at the first
opportunity Alfred would have his revenge. Too soon was the
fore-boding realized.

Mr. Lindsay one afternoon entered the room where his children
generally spent their leisure hours, and with threatening looks
announced that he had lost a ten dollar bank note. He had missed it
under such circumstances that he was sure it must have been purloined
by one of the younger members of his family; and he now declared his
intention of searching both their persons and their apartments, that
he might, if possible, discover the guilty one. Very pale were the
young faces that now gathered round him; and though Arthur's heart was
free from reproach, he, too, trembled with fear for the criminal. I
need not dwell upon the details of that search, but suffice it to say
that the bank-note was found--found in _Arthur Sydney's_ apartment,
within a little box that always stood upon his dressing-table as the
honored receptacle of his parents' miniatures. Vainly did he assert
his ignorance as to how it came there--his uncle refused to listen to
his words, and loaded with passionate reproaches, he was dismissed to
his own room, there to remain till he received permission to leave
it.

It was a long while ere the boy became