But he could not confute the charge, and, besides--here a much simpler part of the Waynflete nature came into play--he was not going to notice such confounded insolence on Cooper's part, or such suspicious mistrust on that of his great-aunt. He locked up the picture, and then, perceiving that it was still only five o'clock, and that the mill had not yet "loosed," he took up his hat and went down there, walking in upon the astonished John Cooper, with as cool a manner as if nothing had passed. "Step into my room, will you?" he said. "There are two or three letters that I left this morning." Then, as the old manager took up and turned over the letters indicated, not knowing what to say, and feeling his statements to Mrs Waynflete considerably invalidated by the young gentleman's look and manner, Guy deliberately unlocked the cupboard, took out the brandy-bottle, and held it up to the light. "Nearly empty," he said, in his soft, mocking voice. "Here, Joe Cass," to the office boy, "just run down to the Lion, and ask for a bottle of the best French brandy--for me. Bring it back with you." "Lord! sir!" exclaimed Cooper, as the boy departed staring; "if you _do_ want brandy, you'd a deal better bring it down from the house yourself, than send the boy on such errands!" "Perhaps Mrs Waynflete wouldn't give it to me; and you see, I like to have it, to `put to my lips, when I feel so dispoged.' Take half a glass of the remains of this? No? Then I will. Now, as to that colonial contract--" Guy poured out the remainder of the brandy and drank it off. He felt revived by it, and went on with the details of the colonial contract with the most accurate clearness, till the boy came back, when he took the bottle, locked it up, put the key in his pocket, and gave Joe the old bottle to throw away. "Well, Mr Guy," said Cooper, desperately; "I ask your pardon if I mistook your condition; but I'd as soon see my own son with a locked-up brandy-bottle as you--at your age. Eh, my lad, it's a grand mistake ye're making." "I shan't let the business go to the dogs in consequence, if I've ever a hand in it," said Guy, but with more softness; "but just make up your mind that I don't care a--" Here Guy used an expression which appeared to Cooper almost as bad a breach of business propriety as the brandy, and added with much bathos, "I don't care a brass farthing what any one thinks." This act of schoolboy defiance was the refuge of Guy's manhood, which had not learned a better mode of self-assertion. His soft eyes had a somewhat evil look as he watched his routed enemy, and then went back to the house, where he was unusually lively at dinner, and through the evening.