CHAPTER IX.
"ELLIS, my son." There was a little break and tremor in the voice.

The young man addressed was passing the door of his mother's room, and paused on hearing his name.
"What is it ?" he asked, stepping inside and looking curiously into his mother's face, where he saw a more than usually serious expression.
"Sit down, Ellis; I want to say a word to you before going to Mrs.
Birtwell's." The lady had just completed her toilette, and was elegantly dressed for an evening party.

She was a handsome, stately-looking woman, with dark hair through which ran many veins of silver, large, thoughtful eyes and a mouth of peculiar sweetness.
The young man took a chair, and his mother seated herself in front of him.
"Ellis." The tremor still remained in her voice.
"Well, what is it ?" The young man assumed a careless air, but was not at ease.
"There is a good old adage, my son, the remembrance of which Has saved many a one in the hour of danger: _Forewarned, forearmed_." "Oh, then you think we are going into danger to-night ?" he answered, in a light tone.
"I am sorry to say that we are going where some will find themselves in great peril," replied the mother, her manner growing more serious; "and it is because of this that I wish to say a word or two now." "Very well, mother; say on." He moved uneasily in his chair, and showed signs of impatience.
"You must take it kindly, Ellis, and remember that it is your mother who is speaking, your best and truest friend in all the world." "Good Heavens, mother! what are you driving at?
One would think we were going into a howling wilderness, among savages and wild beasts, instead of into a company of the most cultured and refined people in a Christian city." "There is danger everywhere, my son," the mother replied, with increasing sobriety of manner, "and the highest civilization of the day has its perils as well as the lowest conditions of society.

The enemy hides in ambush everywhere--in the gay drawing-room as well as in the meanest hovel." She paused, and mother and son looked into each other's faces in silence for several moments.

Then the former said: "I must speak plainly, Ellis.