you to say for yourself now?"

'George uttered a sharp and bitter cry of disappointment. He pressed
his hands tightly over his breast, as he murmured in a hollow, broken
voice, "Nothing."

'"You plead guilty?"

'"I should prove myself a liar, sir, if I did."

'"Liar and thief! Base hypocrite! Kneel down and ask pardon of that
worthy man for the injurious language you have used towards him."

'"Never!" George Leatrim fixed his brow like iron. "I will die first."

'"You deserve death, sir," cried his father, rising in great anger;
"and I would inflict upon you the utmost penalty of the law were it not
for your poor mother."

'"Oh, my mother!" said George, in a low, heart-broken voice; "this
disgrace will kill her."

'Dr. Leatrim was too much overcome by passion to hear that despairing
moan, his pride too deeply wounded to pity and forgive; and he
continued, with the utmost severity of look and manner: "Ay, wretched
boy, you should have thought of that before; but not even to spare her
feelings can I neglect my duty. I cannot demean myself by touching a
thing so vile. Ralph, whom you have calumniated, shall inflict upon you
a punishment suited to the baseness of your crime. Wilson, you will
find a light cane in that corner; bring it here."