k of cards was visible.

"Why didn't you answer my last letter, Alec?" she said.

It had dropped behind some books, and he had never seen it.

"What is the meaning, then, of such reports about you?" she resumed,
venturing to put the question in the presence of Mr Cupples in the hope
of a corroborated refutation.

Alec looked confused, grew red, and was silent. Mr Cupples took up the
reply.

"Ye see, mem, it's a pairt o' the edication o' the human individual,
frae the time o' Adam and Eve doonwith, to learn to refuse the evil and
chowse the guid. This doesna aye come o' eatin' butter and honey, but
whiles o' eatin' aise (ashes) and dirt. Noo, my pupil, here, mem, your
son, has eaten that dirt and made that chice. And I'll be caution
(security) for him that he'll never mair return to wallow i' that mire.
It's three weeks, mem, sin ae drop o' whusky has passed his mou."

"Whisky!" exclaimed the mother. "Alec! Is it possible?"

"Mem, mem! It wad become ye better to fa' doon upo' yer knees and thank
the God that's brocht him oot o' a fearfu' pit and oot o' the miry clay
and set his feet upon a rock. But the rock's some sma' i' the fit-haud,
and ae word micht jist caw him aff o' 't again. Gin ye fa' to
upbraidin' o' 'm, ye may gar him clean forget's washin'."

But Mrs Forbes was proud, and did not like interference between her and
her son. Had she found things as bad as she had expected, she would
have been humble. Now that her fears had abated, her natural pride had
returned.

"Take me to your own room, Alec," she said.

"Ay, ay, mem. Tak' him wi' ye. But caw cannie, ye ken, or ye'll gie me
a deevil o' a job wi' 'm."

With a smile to Cupples, Alec led the way.

He would have told his mother almost everything if she had been genial.
As she was, he contented himself with a general confession that he had
been behaving very badly, and would have grown ten times worse but for
Mr Cupples, who was the best friend that he had on earth.

"Better than your mother, Alec?" she asked, jealously.

"I was no kith or kin of his, and yet he loved me," said Alec.

"He ought to have behaved more like a gentleman to me."

"Mother, you don't understand Mr Cupples. He's a strange creature. He
takes a pride in speaking the broadest Scotch, when he could talk to
you in more languages than you ever heard of, if he liked."

"I don't think he's fit company for you anyhow. We'll change the
subject, if you please."

So Alec was yet