When William arrived at the Elms next day, he was even less inclined than usual to meet his brother Harry on friendly terms. For he looked upon the latter as being the cause of Annie’s exile--so he chose to consider her voluntary flight--and therefore as the cause also of all her struggles and the terrible alteration in her looks. So the lad avoided his brother as much as he could until dinnertime, when there was no help for their coming in contact with each other, as their places were set side by side. An unlucky accident brought the name of the half-forgotten wife into the conversation. Wilfred rallied his youngest brother, who had not been at the Elms for some time, upon being “so confoundedly abstemious.” “One would think little Annie were still here reading you sermons across the table with her pretty eyes,” said he. The blood rushed to the lad’s face, for Harry uttered an oath at the mention of his wife. “I wish we had never frightened the dear little thing away,” Wilfred went on, in a maudlin manner. “She was our little bit of righteousness. It made me take to bad courses, her going away did.” This was not a happy speech, and it was followed by a minute’s silence on the part of all three of his brothers; Stephen was not there. “Why don’t you hunt her up, Harry?” went on Wilfred, who either wished to irritate his brother or had less tact than usual. “I wouldn’t let my wife leave me in the lurch, if I had one, and go tramping about all over the world, amusing herself without me.” “She may go to the deuce for what I care, if she isn’t gone already!” burst out Harry. William clinched his fists and tried to keep still. The injured husband went on: “A little, sly, vagabond governess, glad enough to entrap a gentleman into marrying her, and then cutting away and bringing disgrace upon his name!” “Disgrace!” cried William, turning with flashing eyes upon his brother. “As if any wife could disgrace you! As if Annie, who was a thousand times too good for you to black her shoes, could have any worse disgrace than to be your wife!” “You hold your tongue, you young cub!” said his brother, doggedly. “I say she didn’t deserve a decent husband.” “Well, she didn’t get one”--this from Wilfred. “She didn’t deserve a decent husband, and she couldn’t be expected to stay in a respectable house.” “What respectable house?”--Wilfred again. Harry went on without noticing the interruptions. “It was natural that her vagrant instincts should get the better of her again, and she should take the first chance of going off on the tramp.” “You infernal liar!” shouted William, too much excited to be careful. “She is no more a tramp than you are. And, as for her ‘vagrant instincts,’ you stupid ass, they have led her into much better society than she would ever have got into with you at her heels!” All the others were startled, and William checked himself as he was going to say more. Harry brought a rough hand down on his shoulder.