"Nonsense. Did ever you hear such an absurd thing, Agnes, to judge by a fellow's looks?"
"Then he does not go with the good set at school, you can't say he does," pursued John.
"He goes with me, and I should like you to tell me I belong to the bad set."
"You will if you go on with him," John answered quickly; and then he saw Agnes move suddenly and raise her eyes from the table, where they had been fixed during the altercation.
One flash of thought, one glance at his sister, and then John stood still with firmly-closed lips.
Agnes felt deeply thankful, but she said not a word.
"Have you anything more to say?" asked Hugh bitterly, "or have you exhausted all your powers in that last effort?"
John was still silent, but an earnest supplication went up that he might know his Lord's will and do it.
"Eh?" exclaimed Hugh, coming close to him and speaking to him in hot anger.
"I was thinking, Hugh," answered John slowly, "wondering whether I had been unkind in what I said, or right in warning you?"