‘Deny it!’ echoed the boy, as, turning his back, he looked up at the grated window of his cell. It was well that his father could not see the look of contempt which was then on his face. ‘Speak, sir! Do you deny your guilt to your own father?’ cried the old man. The lad’s manner was irritating him past endurance. Alec did not answer at once, and Margaret stepped forward. ‘Only say you did not intend to do anything wrong, Alec,’ she said, laying her hand on her brother’s arm. ‘Why should I say it, when I would not be believed, Maggie?’ he said in a softer tone. ‘We had better not say any more about it. I am sorry you should have had such a long journey in winter for nothing,’ he continued, addressing his father. ‘Won’t you sit down?’ The old man looked at his son without speaking. Was it possible that he could be speaking the truth? No; he told himself. It was not possible. And if so, what a consummate hypocrite, what an impudent scoundrel, had the young man become! And yet he was his son. The interview lasted a few minutes longer; but nothing further was said on the subject of Alec’s guilt or innocence, till the visitors were on the point of leaving the cell. ‘Alec,’ said the laird in a softer tone than he had yet spoken in, ‘if you cannot confess to me, you may at least confess to God. If we confess our sins, you know, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. But if any restitution is possible it must be made, else there can be no forgiveness.--Come, Margaret, I think we had better be going now.’ And the old man turned to leave the cell, a hundred-fold more sad at heart than he had been when he entered it. Alec stood still, in cold but respectful silence. Margaret, as soon as his back was turned, threw one arm round her brothers neck; but he did not respond to her embrace. ‘And you, Maggie? Do you believe this of me?’ ‘Not--not if you say you did not intend to do wrong, Alec. But if you had done it, I would have loved you all the same,’ she said in a hurried whisper. ‘Thank you, Maggie. But--never mind. Good-bye for to-day. Don’t let father come again, if you can help it.’ In another moment they were gone. So even Maggie did not quite believe in him. She was not sure. She was balancing probabilities. ‘And who will believe in my innocence, if my own father does not?’ he cried aloud, when he found himself alone. Who indeed? Alec saw, as he had not seen before, the cruel strength of the very accusation to blast his life. Henceforth an honourable distinction was impossible for him. In a moment the ambition which, vague as its shape had been, bad been the life-blood of his soul, perished within him. He saw the years stretch out before him, without hope of any second spring. His love was wrecked; his good name was gone; and, worst of all, there was nothing to live for. All at once he burst into a wild fit of laughter. The gaoler came and opened his cell-door to see what was the matter.