“Set a house on fire!” repeated Edward, in a tone still more aggravating.

The words had scarcely left his tongue, ere the open hand of his brother came along side of his head, with a force that knocked him across the room.  At this instant Mr. Howland entered.  He made no inquiry as to the cause of the blow he saw struck, but took it for granted that it was an unprovoked assault of Andrew upon his brother.  Yielding to the impulse of the moment, he caught the former by the arm, in a fierce grip, and struck him with his open hand, as he had struck his brother, repeating the blow three or four times.

Andrew neither shrunk from the blows, cried out, nor offered the smallest resistance, but stood firmly, until his incensed father had satisfied his outraged feelings.

“You forgot, I suppose, that I could strike also?” said the latter angrily, when he released his son from the tight grasp, with which he held him.

“No sir,” replied Andrew, with a calmness that surprized, yet still more incensed his father; “I thought nothing about it.  I punished Edward as he deserved; and if he says to me what he did just now, will repeat the punishment, if it cost me my life.”

“Silence!” cried Mr. Howland.

“I said nothing but the truth,” spoke up Edward.

“What did you say?” inquired the father.

“I told him that he’d set a house on fire.”

“And lied when he said it,” calmly and deliberately spoke Andrew.

“Silence!  I’ll have no such language in my presence!” angrily retorted Mr. Howland.

“It is bad enough to be accused falsely by a lying policeman,” said Andrew, “but to have the charge repeated by my own brother is more than I can or will bear.  And I warn Edward, in your presence, not to try the experiment again.  If he does he will not escape so lightly.”

“Silence, I say!”

Andrew remained silent.

“Edward, leave the room,” said Mr. Howland.  There was little sternness in his voice, as he thus spoke to his favorite boy.

The lad retired.  For several minutes Mr. Howland walked the floor, and Andrew who had seated himself, waited in a calm, defiant spirit, for him to renew the interview.  It was at length done in these words—­

“What do you expect is to become of you, sir?”

Not feeling inclined to answer such an interrogation, Andrew continued silent.

“Say!” repeated the father, “what do you think is to become of you?”

Still the boy answered not a word.

“Under bail to answer for a crime—­”

“Which I never committed—­nor designed to commit!” spoke up Andrew, quickly interrupting his father, and fixing his eyes upon, him with an unflinching gaze.

“It is easy to make a denial.  But the evidence against you is positive.”

“The evidence against me is a positive lie!” was Andrew’s indignant response.