poker,
she gave the coals a great flourish, which made the sparks fly to the
top of the chimney.

"I'll try to help you," said she, "but if you have been doing wrong and
been led away by evil companions, he, your father, ought to know it.
Better find it out from yourself than anybody else."

"He knows all my misconduct," replied Louis, raising his head with an
air of pride. "I would scorn to deceive him. And yet," he added, with a
conscious blush, "you may accuse me of deception in this instance. He
has not asked me the sum I owe--and Heaven knows I could not go and
thrust my bills in his face. I thought perhaps there was some usurer,
whom you had heard of, who could let me have the money. They are debts
of honor, and must be paid."

"Of _honor_!" repeated Miss Thusa, with a tone of ineffable contempt. "I
thought you had more sense, Louis, than to talk in that nonsensical way.
It's more--it's downright wicked. I know what it all means, well enough.
They're debts you are ashamed of, that you had no business to make, that
you dare not let your father know of; and yet you call them debts of
honor."

Louis rose from his seat with a haughty and offended air.

"I was a fool to come," he muttered to himself; "I might have known
better. The Evil Spirit surely prompted me."

Then walking rapidly to the door, he said--

"I came here for comfort and advice, Miss Thusa, according to your own
bidding, not to listen to railings that can do no good to you or to me.
I had been to you so often in my boyish difficulties, and found sympathy
and kindness, I thought I should find it now. I know I do not deserve
it, but I nevertheless expected it from you. But it is no matter. I may
as well brave the worst at once."

Snatching up his hat and pulling it over his brows, he was about to
shoot through the door, when the long arm of Miss Thusa was interposed
as a barrier against him.

"There is no use in being angry with an old woman like me," said she, in
a pacifying tone, just as she would soothe a fretful child. "I always
speak what I think, and it is the truth, too--Gospel truth, and you know
it. But come, come, sit down like a good boy, and let us talk it all
over. There--I won't say another cross word to-night."

The first smile which had lighted up the face of Louis since his return,
flitted over his lip, as Miss Thusa pushed him down into the chair he
had quitted, and drew her own close to it.

"Now," said she, "tell me how