through the
atmosphere, and now every eye was fixed and inquiring. The word was
ominous. He was there on his trial, and for discipline; and it was
thought by all that, as many days had passed since his offence was
committed, meditation and prayer should have done their work. Now,
however, in the tone of his voice, as it clothed the last word, there
was something of defiance. On the ear of his grandfather, Luke Claridge,
it fell heavily. The old man's lips closed tightly, he clasped his hands
between his knees with apparent self-repression.

The second Elder who had spoken was he who had once heard Luke Claridge
use profane words in the Cloistered House. Feeling trouble ahead, and
liking the young man and his brother Elder, Luke Claridge, John Fairley
sought now to take the case into his own hands.

"Thee shall never find a better name, David," he said, "if thee live a
hundred years. It hath served well in England. This thee didst do.
While the young Earl of Eglington was being brought home, with noise
and brawling, after his return to Parliament, thee mingled among the
brawlers; and because some evil words were said of thy hat and thy
apparel, thee laid about thee, bringing one to the dust, so that his
life was in peril for some hours to come. Jasper Kimber was his name."

"Were it not that the smitten man forgave thee, thee would now be in a
prison cell," shrilly piped the Elder who had asked his name.

"The fight was fair," was the young man's reply. "Though I am a Friend,
the man was English."

"Thee was that day a son of Belial," rejoined the shrill Elder. "Thee
did use thy hands like any heathen sailor--is it not the truth?"

"I struck the man. I punished him--why enlarge?"

"Thee is guilty?"

"I did the thing."

"That is one charge against thee. There are others. Thee was seen
to drink of spirits in a public-house at Heddington that day.
Twice--thrice, like any drunken collier."

"Twice," was the prompt correction.

There was a moment's pause, in which some women sighed and others folded
and unfolded their hands on their laps; the men frowned.

"Thee has been a dark deceiver," said the shrill Elder again, and with
a ring of acrid triumph; "thee has hid these things from our eyes many
years, but in one day thee has uncovered all. Thee--"

"Thee is charged," interposed Elder Fairley, "with visiting a play this
same day, and with seeing a dance of Spain following upon it."

"I did not disdain the mus