Do you think any man with a sense of responsibility would permit a youth of Eric's age to have such a friend?
Yet this was a standing grievance with Eric, and I am sorry to say his sister took Edgar's part.

Of course she knew no better: innocence is credulous, and Edgar was a sprightly, good-looking fellow, the sort that women never fail to pet.' 'Yes, I see.

Eric was certainly to blame in this.' 'He was faulty on many more points.

I am afraid, Ursula you have been somewhat biassed by Miss Hamilton.

You must remember that she idolised Eric,--that she was blind to many of his faults; she made excuses for him whenever it was possible to do so, but with all her weak partiality she could not deny that he was thriftless, idle, and extravagant, that he defied his brother's authority, that he even forgot himself so far as to use bad language in his presence.