On the third day after the accident Andrew went back to school, and
continued, for a time, to go punctually and to attend (sic)
dilligently to his studies. But soon the angry reaction of his
father, against little acts of thoughtlessness or disobedience,
threw him back into his old state, and he was as bad as ever.






CHAPTER VII.





THUS the struggle went on, Mr. Howland's power to control his boy
growing less and less every year. Naturally, considering the
relation of the two families of Mr. Howland and Mr. Winters, and the
bad reputation of the son of the former, the intercourse between
Andrew and Emily was more and more restricted. Still their
friendship for each other remained, to a certain extent,
undiminished, and they met as often as favorable circumstances would
permit. To Emily, the kind feelings entertained for the wayward boy
proved sources of frequent unhappiness. Few opportunities for
speaking against him were omitted by her parents, and she never
heard his name coupled with words of censure without feeling pain.
One half that was said of him she did not believe; for she saw more
of the bright side of his character than did any one else.