degenerate
boy."

Yes! she did mourn, but not without hope. She had too much faith in the
integrity of Louis to believe him capable of deliberate transgression.
She knew his ardent temperament his convivial spirit, and did not think
it strange that he should be led into temptation. He must not withdraw
his confidence, because it had been once betrayed. Neither would she
suffer so dark a cloud of suspicion to rest upon Clinton. It was unjust
to suspect him, when he was surrounded by so many young, and doubtless,
evil companions. She regretted Clinton's sojourn among them, since it
had had so unhappy an influence on Mittie, but it was cowardly to plunge
a dagger into the back of one on whose face their hospitable smiles had
so lately beamed. We have said that she had a small property of her own.
She insisted upon drawing on this for the amount necessary to settle the
bills of Louis. She had reserved it for the children's use, and perhaps
when Louis was made aware of the source whence pecuniary assistance
came, he would blush for the drain, and shame would restrain him from
future extravagance. Mr. Gleason listened, hoped and believed. The cloud
lighted up, and if it did not entirely pass away, glimpses of sunshine
were seen breaking through.

And this was the woman whom Mittie disdained to honor with the title of
_mother_!

Helen had recovered from the double shock she had received the night
previous to Clinton's departure, but she was not the same Helen that she
was before. Her childhood was gone. The flower leaves of her heart
unfolded, not by the soft, genial sunshine, but torn open by the
whirlwind's power. Never more could she meet Arthur Hazleton with the
innocent freedom which had made their intercourse so delightful. If he
took her hand, she trembled and withdrew it. If she met his eye, she
blushed and turned away her glance--that eye, which though it flashed
not with the fires of passion, had such depth, and strength, and
intensity in its expression. Her embarrassment was contagious, and
constraint and reserve took the place of confidence and ingenuousness;
like the semi-transparent drapery over a beautiful picture, which
suffers the lineaments to be traced, while the warm coloring and
brightness of life are chilled and obscured.

The sisters were as much estranged as if they were the inmates of
different abodes. Mrs. Gleason had prepared a room for Helen adjoining
her own, resolved she should be removed as