t be better than it is. And one person
helps on another for good or for evil. And St. Paul was not of your
opinion."

"St. Paul? What did he say about it? That one must not drink wine? Not
at all. He told Timothy, or somebody, to take it, for his stomach's
sake."

"But he said,--that if meat made his brother to offend, he would eat no
meat while the world stood, lest he made his brother to offend. And
meat is certainly a good thing."

"Well, there are just two things about it," said Mr. Copley; "meat is
not wine, and I am not St. Paul. A little more, Lawrence. If it is not
a man's duty to look after his neighbour's potations, neither is it a
woman's. Dolly is young; she will learn better."

If she did not, Lawrence thought, she would be an inconvenient helpmeet
for him. He was very much in love; but certainly he would not wish his
wife to take up a crusade against society. Perhaps Dolly _would_ learn
better; he hoped so. Yet the little girl had some reason, too; for her
father gave her trouble, Lawrence knew. "I'm sorry," he thought,
"deuced sorry! but really I can't be expected to take Mr. Copley, wine
and all, on my shoulders. Really it is not my look-out."

Dolly went home very sober and careful. It is true, not much wine had
been drunk that day. Yet she knew a line had been passed, the passing
of which was significant of future licence, and introductory to it. And
that it had been done in her presence was to prove to her that her
influence could avail nothing. It was bravado. What lay before her now?

"Rupert," she said suddenly, as they were walking together, "let us
make a solemn pledge, you and I, each to the other, that we will never
drink wine nor anything of the sort; unless we must, for sickness, you
know."

"What would be the good of that?" said the young man, laughing.

"I don't know," said Dolly, from whose eyes, on the contrary, hot tears
began to drop. "Perhaps I shall save you, and you may save me; how can
we tell?"

"But we could keep from it just the same, without pledging ourselves?"
said Rupert, soberly enough now.

"Could; but we might be tempted. If we do this, maybe we can help other
people, as well as each other."

The tears were coming so thick from Dolly's eyes that Rupert's heart
was sore for her. She was brushing them away, right and left, but he
saw them glitter and fall; and he thought the man who could, for the
sake of a glass of wine, cause such tears to be shed, was--I won