e you? Why didn't
you tell me why you fought and got in such a state?"

"I felt that I couldn't tell you, uncle."

"Why not, sir--why not?"

Aleck was silent once more.

"There you are, you see. As stubborn as a mule."

"No, I'm not, uncle."

"Now, look here, Aleck; I couldn't go to bed without trying to make
peace between us. Don't contradict me, sir. I say you are stubborn.
There, I'll give you one more chance. Now, then, why did you fight
those lads?"

"Don't ask me, uncle, please. I can't tell you."

"But I do ask you, and I will know. Now, sir, why was it? For I'm sure
there was some blackguardly reason. Now, then, speak out, or--or--or--I
vow I'll never be friends with you again."

"Don't ask me, uncle."

"Once more, I will ask you, sir. Why was it?"

"Because--" began Aleck, and stopped.

"Well, sir--because?" raged out the old man. "Speak, sir. You are my
sister's son. I have behaved to you since she died like a father. I am
in the place of your father, and I command you to speak."

"Well, uncle, it was because they spoke about you," said the lad, at
last, desperately.

"Eh? Ah! Humph!" said the old man, with his florid face growing
clay-coloured. "They spoke ill of me, then?"

"Yes, uncle."

"About my past--past life, eh?"

"Yes, uncle."

"Humph! What did they say?"

"Uncle, pray don't ask me," pleaded Aleck.

"Humph! I know. Said I was disgraced and turned out of my regiment,
eh? For cowardice?"

"Yes, uncle."

"And you said it wasn't true?"

"Of course, uncle."

"Got yourself knocked into a mummy, then, for defending me?"

"Yes, uncle; but I'm not much hurt."

"Humph!" ejaculated the old man, frowning, and looking at the lad
through his half-closed eyes. "Said it was not true, then?"

"Of course, uncle," cried the boy, flushing indignantly.

"Humph! Thankye, my boy; but, you see, it was true."

Aleck's eyes glittered as he stared blankly at the fierce-looking old
man. For the declaration sounded horrible. His uncle had been one of
the bravest of soldiers in the boy's estimation, and time after time he
had sat and gloated over the trophy formed by the old officer's sword
and pistols, surmounted by the military cap, hanging in the study. Many
a time, too, he had in secret carefully swept away the dust. More than
once, too, in his uncle's absence he had taken down and snapped the
pistols at some imaginary foe, and felt a thrill of pleasure as the