shadow of concern darkened, "then Willy Hammond may not be his
only victim."

"And is not, you may rest assured. If rumor be true, other of our
promising young men are being drawn into the whirling circles that
narrow toward a vortex of ruin."

In corroboration of this, I mentioned the conversation I had held
with one of the frequenters of Slade's bar room, on this very
subject; and also what I had myself observed on the previous
evening.

The man, who had until now been sitting quietly in a chair,
started up, exclaiming as he did so--

"Merciful heaven! I never dreamed of this! Whose sons are safe?"

"No man's," was the answer of the gentleman in whose office we
were sitting--"No man's--while there are such open doors to ruin
as you may find at the 'Sickle and Sheaf.' Did not you vote the
anti-temperance ticket at the last election?"

"I did," was the answer; "and from principle."

"On what were your principles based?" was inquired.

"On the broad foundations of civil liberty."

"The liberty to do good or evil, just as the individual may
choose?"