f the table and stared at each other. As
the spirituous tide ebbed from the brain, more and more painful visions
of the near future steamed up. Yet even already conscience began to
sustain them. Her wine was strong, and they were so little used to it
that it even excited them.

With Alec the struggle would soon be over. His nervous system would
speedily recover its healthy operations. But Cupples--from whose veins
alcohol had expelled the blood, whose skull was a Circean cup of
hurtful spells--would not delirium follow for him?

Suddenly Alec laid his hand on the bottle. Mr Cupples trembled. Was he
going to break his vow already?

"Wadna't be better to fling this into the neist yard, Mr Cupples?" said
Alec. "We daurna fling 't i' the fire. It wad set the chimley in a
low (flame)."

"Na, na. Lat ye 't sit," returned Mr Cupples.

"I wad be clean affrontit gin I cudna see and forbear. Ye may jist pit
it into the press though. A body needna lay burdens grievous to be
borne upo' himsel' mair nor upo' ither fowk. Noo, lat's hae a game o'
cribbage, to haud's ohn thocht aboot it."

They played two or three games. It was pathetic to see how Mr Cupples's
right hand, while he looked at the cards in his left, would go blindly
flitting about the spot where his glass had always used to stand; and
how, when he looked up unable to find it, his face shadowed over with
disappointment. After those two or three games, he threw down the
cards, saying,

"It winna do, bantam. I dinna like the cairts the nicht. Wi'oot ony
thing to weet them, they're dooms dry. What say ye to a chorus o'
Aeschylus?"

Alec's habits of study had been quite broken up of late. Even the
medical lectures and the hospital classes had been neglected. So
Aeschylus could not be much of a consolatory amusement in the blank
which follows all exorcism. But Cupples felt that if no good spirit
came into the empty house, sweeping and garnishing would only entice
the seven to take the place of the one. So he tried to interest his
pupil once again in his old studies; and by frequent changes did ere
long succeed in holding tedium at bay.

But all his efforts would have resulted in nothing but that vain
sweeping and garnishing, had not both their hearts been already
tenanted by one good and strong spirit--essential life and humanity.
That spirit was Love, which at the long last will expel whatsoever
opposeth itself. While Alec felt that he must do everything to please