e before his
last hour, that he rejoiced to have been at Roslyn; that he had
experienced there much real happiness, and derived in every way
lasting good.

"I hope you have been enjoying your holidays, and that you will come
back with the `spell of home affection' alive in your heart. I shall
rejoice to make Vernon's acquaintance, and will do for him all I can.
Bring him with you to me in the library as soon as you arrive.--Ever,
dear Eric,

"Affectionately yours,

"Walter Rose."

END OF VOLUME THE FIRST.

VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER ONE.

ARDIEL.

Phtheirousin ethe chresth' omiliai kakai.--_Menander_.

A year had passed since the events narrated in the last chapter, and had
brought with it many changes.

To Eric the changes were not for good.

The memories of Russell were getting dim; the resolutions made during
his friend's illness had vanished; the bad habits laid aside after his
death had been resumed. All this took place very gradually; there were
many inward struggles, much occasional remorse, but the struggles by
degrees grew weaker, and remorse lost its sting, and Eric Williams soon
learned again to follow the multitude to do evil.

He was now sixteen years old, and high in the fifth-form, and, besides
this, he was captain of the school eleven. In work he had fallen off,
and no one now expected the fulfilment of that promise of genius which
he had given them when he first came. But in all school sports he had
improved, and was the acknowledged leader and champion in matters
requiring boldness and courage; his popularity made him giddy; favour of
man led to forgetfulness of God; and even a glance at his countenance
showed a self-sufficiency and arrogance which ill became the refinement
of his features, and ill replaced the ingenuous modesty of former days.

And Vernon Williams was no longer a new boy. The worst had happened to
him, which Eric in his better moments could have feared. He had fallen
into thoroughly bad hands, and Eric, who should have been his natural
guardian and guide, began to treat him with indifference, and scarcely
ever had any affectionate intercourse with him. It is by no means
unfrequent that brothers at school see but little of each other, and
follow their several pursuits, and choose their various companions, with
small regard to the relationship between them.

Yet Eric could not overlook or be blind to the fact, that Vernon's chief
friend or leade