"There is danger everywhere, my son," the mother replied, with
increasing sobriety of manner, "and the highest civilization of the
day has its perils as well as the lowest conditions of society. The
enemy hides in ambush everywhere--in the gay drawing-room as well as
in the meanest hovel."

She paused, and mother and son looked into each other's faces in
silence for several moments. Then the former said:

"I must speak plainly, Ellis. You are not as guarded as you should
be on these occasions. You take wine too freely."

"Oh, mother!" His voice was, half surprised, half angry. A red flush
mounted to cheeks and forehead. Rising, he walked the room in an
agitated manner, and then came and sat down. The color had gone out
of his face:

"How could you say so, mother? You do me wrong. It is a mistake."

The lady shook her head:

"No, my son, it is true. A mother's eyes rarely deceive her. You
took wine too freely both at Mrs. Judson's and Mrs. Ingersoll's, and
acted so little like my gentlemanly, dignified son that my cheeks
burned and my heart ached with mortification. I saw in other eyes
that looked at you both pity and condemnation. Ah, my son! there was
more of bitterness in that for a mother's heart than you will ever
comprehend."

Her voice broke into a sob.