You, Horace, were a wild, headstrong fellow, but I never knew you do a _mean_ or _cowardly_ thing; you were always above it." "I hope so, indeed, sir.

But now, to go back to the present business, do you not think it would be well to call all the young people together and have a thorough investigation of this affair?
I have promised Elsie that she shall not be forced to speak, but I hope we may be able to learn from the others all that we need to know." "Yes, yes, Horace, we will do so at once!" replied his father, ringing the bell.

"They must be all through with their tea by this time, and we will invite them into the drawing-room, and cross-question them until we get to the bottom of the whole thing." A servant answered the bell, and received directions to request--on his master's behalf--all the guests, both old and young, as well as every member of the family, to give their attendance in the drawing-room for a few moments.
"Stay, father," said Horace, "possibly Arthur might be induced to confess, and so spare himself and us the pain of a public exposure; had we not better send for him first ?" His father assented, and the servant was ordered to go in search of Arthur, and bring him to the library.
Arthur had been expecting such a summons, and had quite made up his mind what to do.
"Confess!" he said to himself; "no, indeed, I'll not! nobody but Elsie knows that I did it, and she'll never tell; so I'll stick to it that it was only an accident." He came in with a look of sullen, dogged determination on his countenance, and stood before his father and brother with folded arms, and an air of injured innocence.

He was careful, however, not to meet his brother's eye.
"Arthur," began his father, sternly, "this is shameful, cowardly behavior, utterly unworthy of a son of mine--this unprovoked assault upon a defenceless little girl.

It has always been considered a cowardly act to attack one weaker than ourselves." "I _didn't_ do it! she slipped and fell of herself," replied the boy fiercely, speaking through his clenched teeth.
"Arthur," said his brother, in a calm, firm tone, "the alternative before you is a frank and full confession here in private, or a disgraceful, public exposure in the drawing-room.