I
will walk steadily on, and fight if I must. I am not a craven, but a
man. If the taint of which you speak is in my blood, I will extinguish
it. If I am in danger, I will not save myself by flight, but by
conquest. The taint shall not go down to another generation; it shall
be removed in this."

He spoke with a fine enthusiasm kindling over his handsome face, and
his mother's heart beat with a pride that for the moment was stronger
than fear.

"Ask of me anything except to give up my self-respect and my
manliness," he added. "Say that you wish me to remain at home, and I
will not go to the party."

"No. I do not ask that. I wish you to go. But--"

"If I go, I must do as the rest, and you must have faith in me.
Forewarned, forearmed. I will heed your admonition."

So the interview ended, and mother and son went to the grand
entertainment at Mr. Birtwell's. Ellis did mean to heed his mother's
admonition. What she had said, about the danger in which he stood had
made a deeper impression on him than Mrs. Whitford thought. But he did
not propose to heed by abstinence, but by moderation. He would be on
guard and always ready for the hidden foe, if such a foe really existed
anywhere but in his mother's fancy.

"Ah, Mrs. Whitford! Glad to see you this evening;" and the Rev. Mr.
Brantley Elliott gave the lady a graceful and cordial bow. "Had the
pleasure of meeting your son a few moments ago--a splendid young man,
if you will pardon me for saying so. How much a year has improved him!"

Mrs. Whitford bowed her grateful acknowledgment.

"Just been admitted to the bar, I learn," said Mr. Elliott.

"Yes, sir. He has taken his start in life."

"And will make his mark, or I am mistaken. You have reason to feel
proud of him, ma'am."

"That she has," spoke out Dr. Hillhouse, who came up at the moment.
"When so many of our young men are content to be idle drones--to let
their fathers achieve eminence or move the world by the force of
thought and will--it is gratifying to see one of their number taking
his place in the ranks and setting his face toward conquest. When the
sons of two-thirds of our rich men are forgotten, or remembered only as
idlers or nobodies, or worse, your son will stand among the men who
leave their mark upon the generations."

"If he escapes the dangers that lie too thickly in the way of all young
men," returned Mrs. Whitford, speaking almost involuntarily of what was
in her heart, and in a voice th