on," continued
he, very sorrowfully, "I am called a tell-tale, and I know I deserve
it; but the worst is, they call me a hypocrite, and say that religious
people are no better than others. I could bear it if it were only
myself, but it is more, and I have given reasons for them to say all
kinds of things," he added, and burst anew into tears. "But do not
make me tell any more tales. I have promised, Hamilton--I dare not--I
_will_ not break my promise!"

Hamilton made no immediate reply, and the loud ringing of the
dinner-bell obliged him to leave Louis to himself.

"If it is a promise, Louis," he said, as he left the room with
Reginald, "I won't urge you to break it; but remember well how
the promise was made--remember the consequences."

"Reginald," he added, when they had closed the door, "I have a clue;
depend upon it, he won't be much the worse, poor fellow. But the
doctor knows him well, I am sure."

Reginald stole away after dinner to sit with Louis, and to endeavor
to persuade him to disclose all his suspicions, but all he could
obtain was a kind of half-promise to clear it up, after he had seen
how the matter would end; and the subject caused him so much distress,
that Reginald at length left it alone.

"Sit down by my side, dear Reginald," said Louis, "and tell me again
that you forgive me. I cannot think how I could be so unkind to you
as I have been lately, when you were so anxious about me. I have been
ungrateful to every body."

"Don't make yourself miserable," said Reginald, as gayly as he could.
"I know I am hasty and cross, and don't go the right way to help you;
but you had spoiled me by being so very gentle before, and I didn't
understand your having any spirit."

"It was a very wrong spirit," replied Louis; "the fact is, Reginald,
I have not been serving God lately, though at first I did not know it
myself. I thought I did a great many things when I came back to school,
because it would glorify God; when, I really believe now, the reason
was--to be praised for it. Every one seemed to think so much of me,
and that every thing I did was right. I have wished so many times
lately, that all the trouble of last half-year might come again if
I should be so happy. But, Reginald, when the boys would not speak
to me, then I knew by my angry feelings that I only cared for myself;
and I saw that I had not been serving God, and I became afraid to pray.
Sometimes so strangely, when I knew I was in the wron