The door opened; before he could resist or make any movement, his mother's arms were about him, his mother's cheek against his, and she was whispering: "Oh, my darling, my darling!" The horrible thing then occurred.

He was savage, with a wild, fierce, protesting rage.

His cheeks flamed.

His tears were instantly dried.

That he should have been caught thus! That, when he had been presenting so brave and callous a front to the world, at the one weak and shameful moment he should have been discovered! He scarcely realised that this was his mother, he did not care who it was.