Graham and Wildney,
who were the best of his old associates, and they at once agreed that
they ought to be responsible for at least a share of the debt. Still,
between them they could only muster three pounds out of the six which
were required, and the week had half elapsed before there seemed any
prospect of extrication from the difficulty; so Eric daily grew more
miserable and dejected.

A happy thought struck him. He would go and explain the source of his
trouble to Mr Rose, his oldest, his kindest, his wisest friend. To him
he could speak without scruple and without reserve, and from him he knew
that he would receive nothing but the noblest advice and the warmest
sympathy.

He went to him after prayers that night, and told his story.

"Ah, Eric, Eric!" said Mr Rose; "you see, my boy, that sin and
punishment are twins."

"Oh but, sir, I was just striving so hard to amend, and it seems cruel
that I should be checked at once."

"Let it teach you a life-long lesson, dear Eric;--the lesson that when a
sin is committed _we_ may have done with _it_, but _it_ has by no means
done with _us_. It is always so, Eric when we drink the wine it is red
and sparkling, but we come afterwards to the ragged and bitter dregs."

"But what shall I do, sir?" said Eric sadly.

"There is only one way that I see, Eric. You must write home for the
money, and confess the truth to them honestly, as you have to me."

It was a hard course for Eric's proud and loving heart to write and tell
his aunt the full extent of his guilt. But he did it faithfully,
extenuating nothing, and entreating her, as she loved him, to send the
money by return of post.

It came, and with it a letter full of deep and gentle affection. Mrs
Trevor knew her nephew's character, and did not add by reproaches to the
bitterness which she perceived he had endured; she simply sent him the
money, and told him, that in spite of his many failures, "she still had
perfect confidence in the true heart of her dear boy."

Touched by the affection which all seemed to be showing him, it became
more and more the passionate craving of Eric's soul to be worthy of that
love. But it is far far harder to recover a lost path than to keep in
the right one all along; and by one more terrible fall the poor erring
boy was to be taught for the last time the fearful strength of
temptation, and the only source in earth and heaven from which
deliverance can come. Theoretically he kn