le dreaming of what was in store
when that was over.

It was little enough I could sleep during the night. As I lay and
tossed and thought over the events of the evening, I did not know
whether to be happy or afraid. Supposing Jack should refuse to own his
father! Suppose, when he heard that story of sin and shame, he should
turn and repudiate the father who had so cruelly wronged him and his
sister!

What a story it was! And yet, as I went over its details and pictured
to myself the tragedy of that ruined life, I trembled to think how
nearly a similar story might have been mine, had I not by God's grace
been mercifully arrested in time.

Who was I, to think ill of him? He had been driven to his ruin by a
shock which had nearly robbed him of reason. I had fallen through sheer
vanity and folly, and who was to say I might not have fallen as low as
he, had there been no hand to save me, no friend to recall me, by God's
mercy, to myself?

I was thankful when I heard Jack stir, and had an excuse for getting up.

"Hullo!" said he, as I did so; "you were a jolly long time posting that
letter last night, or else I must have gone to sleep pretty quickly."

"I just looked in to talk to Mr Smith," I said, "on my way back."

"Ah, do you know, I think he's working too hard. He didn't look well
last night."

"He seemed a little out of sorts," I said, "but I'm afraid that's
nothing very unusual. Well, old boy, how do you feel in prospect of
your exam.?"

"Oh, all right," said Jack, complacently. "I suppose I ought to feel in
mortal terror and nervousness and despondency. I believe that's what's
expected of a fellow before an exam. If so, I'm unorthodox. Perhaps
it's a sign I shall be plucked."

"I'm not afraid of that," said I.

"Well, I have a notion I may pull through."

"If you pass," said I, struck with a thought that had not before
occurred to me, "shall you go to college, Jack?"

He laughed at the question.

"I should have to come out first of all," said he, "to get what would
keep me at college. And even so, I'm not cut out for that sort of
life."

"If you mean living by your brains, I say you are."

"Of course you say so. You're always stuffing me up. But, apart from
that, you know there are other reasons why I should not be likely to get
on well at a university."

I knew what his meaning was only too well.

"But what rubbish we are talking!" said he. "We've made up our minds
I'm going