“Go downstairs, and leave me a moment, Hexam,” he returned. The boy complying with an indignant look and as much noise as he could make, swung out of the room; and Lightwood went to the window, and leaned there, looking out.

“You think me of no more value than the dirt under your feet,” said Bradley to Eugene, speaking in a carefully weighed and measured tone, or he could not have spoken at all.

“I assure you, Schoolmaster,” replied Eugene, “I don’t think about you.”

“That’s not true,” returned the other; “you know better.”

“That’s coarse,” Eugene retorted; “but you don’t know better.”