y."

Mr Oliphant hid his head in his hands, and groaned aloud. He had never
before conceived it possible--what he now found to be too true--that
long habits of drunkenness can so utterly unhumanise a man as to reduce
him to a mere callous self, looking upon all things outside self as
dreamy and devoid of interest, with but one passion left--the passion
for the poison which has ruined him.

At last the rector raised his head, and said slowly and solemnly,--

"And if God spares you, will you not strive to lead a new life? Will
you not pray for grace to conquer your besetting sin?"

The wretched man did not answer for a while. Then he said,--

"I have only one thing to live for, and that is the drink. I cannot
live without it. Oh, I implore you to let me have some spirits! You do
not, you cannot, know how I crave them, or in pity you would not
withhold them from me."

Mr Oliphant rose.

"Compose yourself, my poor friend," he said. "I dare not grant your
request; it might be your death. Farewell for the present. May God,
with whom all things are possible, help you through your present
trouble, and enable you in the end to conquer."

The wretched man called imploringly after him; but he closed the door,
and summoning Mrs Barnes, begged her to look well after him, and to see
that the nurse did all in her power to keep him calm, and to soothe him
to rest.

Two days after this he called again.

"How is your patient to-day, Mrs Barnes?" he said to the landlady, whom
he met on the landing.

"I cannot quite tell you, sir, for I have not been in to see him this
morning. He was so much better yesterday that the doctor said Mrs
Harper might go home. I went to look at him after he had taken his tea,
and I found old Jane Hicks with him. She had called to speak with Mrs
Harper, and the poor gentleman got her to go and borrow him a newspaper
which he wanted to see. I think I heard her come back twice since Mrs
Harper left; but perhaps he wanted something else. He said I had better
not wake him very early, as he thought he should sleep well; so I
haven't disturbed him yet."

A strange misgiving crept over the rector.

"Let us go in at once," he said.

They knocked at the bed-room door--there was no answer; they opened it
softly and went in. The sick man lay on his back, apparently asleep,
but when they came closer they saw that he was dead. A stain on the
sheet attracted Mr Oliphant's notice; he hastily t