her truly loved his young wife, and sincerely mourned her
loss. Much of his time was spent with his son in trying to comfort and
divert the attention of the sorrowing boy from his great loss.

Willie grew to love very dearly his father, hitherto almost a stranger
to him.

Mary's words were soon verified. Riches grew rapidly around him, and
in less than two years he had filled her vacant place by another.

With what an acute ear, jealous eye and aching heart he listened for
every word of endearment, watched every action of love that his father
bestowed on his new wife. Willie was not a boy to win the heart of a
stranger. Retiring, silent and sad, but possessing a brave, grateful
heart, he had to be known to be loved. The new mother did not care to
take the trouble to win the love of her husband's child.

Years rolled on. Bright, cheerful, happy boys and beautiful, loving
girls grew round the father's heart, claiming and winning his love,
until poor Willie was almost forgotten, or only remembered when in
sight, and then always compared so unfavorably with the merry ones
around him.

On one occasion some temporary ailment caused the father's hand to
become very much swollen, until the little wedding ring became very
tight and pained his finger much. His wife suggested its being filed
off. While debating on the necessity of so doing, there came memories
of the past. The long-forgotten pledge, the reminder of which was
making him feel it so keenly then. How had he fulfilled that promise?

He would not have the ring removed. The swelling gradually passed
away. And William Archer determined to make amends for his past
neglect by future care and attention to his motherless boy.

But these good intentions were put to a speedy flight by an
unfortunate accident which occurred that afternoon.

Constant difficulties and childish quarrels arose between the little
ones, Willie always being the erring one, both with the mother and
nurses. If a child fell and was hurt, "Willie did it." In a word, the
poor boy was the "scapegoat."

The children were playing in the large ground surrounding their
future elegant home. Willie was just twelve years old then. The nurse
was attending the younger ones. A little way from the house was a
large pond with a rustic bridge. Mr. Archer had frequently warned the
nurse of the danger in allowing the children to play about there.
Little Eddie, a merry, willful boy of six years, disregarding all