“Because—” began Aleck, and stopped.
“Well, sir—because?” raged out the old man. “Speak, sir. You are my sister’s son. I have behaved to you since she died like a father. I am in the place of your father, and I command you to speak.”
“Well, uncle, it was because they spoke about you,” said the lad, at last, desperately.
“Eh? Ah! Humph!” said the old man, with his florid face growing clay-coloured. “They spoke ill of me, then?”
“Yes, uncle.”
“About my past—past life, eh?”
“Yes, uncle.”
“Humph! What did they say?”
“Uncle, pray don’t ask me,” pleaded Aleck.
“Humph! I know. Said I was disgraced and turned out of my regiment, eh? For cowardice?”