The son was sadly stricken by his mother's death, for he had a very strong affection for her; and for a long time after his return to the Medical College--in fact, until he had taken his diploma--he remained perfectly sober; but in the banquet that he and the rest of his class held to celebrate that event he again fell, and ere he left was so intoxicated he had to be helped to his lodgings. From that period he seemed to lose all power of resistance and almost all sense of shame. He had been engaged to Mary Fulton, the young woman who, in her innocence, first tempted him to drink, and who now bitterly repented of her thoughtlessness; for she was a true woman, and loved him with all the strength of her deep, sensitive nature. He, after taking his medical degree, had started to practice in Orchardton, a small and lovely village not far from Bayton, and would have done exceedingly well had it not been for his drinking propensities. It was about a year after he had begun to practice that he met with the adventure of which Aunt Debie and her friends were speaking. "God was merciful when He removed poor Rebecca before she had a chance to hear of her boy's shameful conduct," said Aunt Debie. "'Pears to me that the words of Scripter is come troo in his case--'The sins of the parent has to be borne by the children to the third and fourth generation.'" Aunt Debie endeavored to quote from memory, and so she is to be excused if she did not render it according to the letter. "I believe with thee, Aunt Debie," said Mrs. Gurney. "It was a blessed thing for Rebecca she died thinking her boy was pure; if she had known how it was--and if she had lived a little longer she would have been sure to have found out--it would have broken her heart. Then she would have gone down to her grave in sorrow, and Charles would have had his mother's death to answer for." "I believe," said Mr. Gurney, breaking in rather abruptly, "that a tendency to drink is transmitted from father to son--that, in fact, it is a disease, and in this respect is similar to consumption or insanity. Because I take this view of the case, I have a great deal of sympathy with Charley Dalton. I am determined to do all I can to save the boy. I heard from a lady friend the other day who is very intimate with Mary Fulton, and she said that the latter was experiencing deep grief because of Charley's utter fall; for she holds herself partially responsible, because she, in her innocence and thoughtlessness, tempted him to take his first glass of wine. Her friends have been endeavoring to influence her to break the engagement, but she resolutely refuses to do so. She says she will never marry him while he continues to drink as he does, but breaking off the engagement will be the last report, and she declares she will never marry another."