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diff --git a/37926.txt b/37926.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e87eac7 --- /dev/null +++ b/37926.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8294 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of 'As Gold in the Furnace', by John E. Copus + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: 'As Gold in the Furnace' + A College Story + +Author: John E. Copus + +Release Date: November 5, 2011 [EBook #37926] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 'AS GOLD IN THE FURNACE' *** + + + + +Produced by Jen Haines and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +"AS GOLD IN THE FURNACE" + + + + + Books by the Same Author + + + =Harry Russell=; a Rockland College Boy. + 12mo, cloth, .85 + + =Saint Cuthbert's.= + 12mo, cloth, .85 + + =Shadows Lifted.= + 12mo, cloth, .85 + + =Tom Losely: Boy.= + 12mo, cloth, .85 + + =The Making of Mortlake.= + 12mo, cloth, .85 + + =The Son of Siro.= A Novel. Illustrated. + 12mo, cloth, 1.50 + + +[Illustration: It was hard! It was a sore trial to give up his dream +of years!--_Page 20._] + + +"As Gold in the Furnace" + +A COLLEGE STORY + +(Sequel to "SHADOWS LIFTED") + +By Rev. JOHN E. COPUS, S.J. + +Author of "Harry Russell," "The Son of Siro," etc. + +[Illustration: Small religious line drawing] + + NEW YORK, CINCINNATI, CHICAGO + + BENZIGER BROTHERS + + PRINTERS TO THE | PUBLISHERS OF + HOLY APOSTOLIC SEE | BENZIGER'S MAGAZINE + + 1910 + + + COPYRIGHT, 1910, BY BENZIGER BROTHERS. + + + + + CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER I PAGE + Roy Surprises His Friends 7 + + CHAPTER II + The Motive 13 + + CHAPTER III + The Conditions 19 + + CHAPTER IV + Roy and Garrett 25 + + CHAPTER V + A Pitching Cage 30 + + CHAPTER VI + Advice 38 + + CHAPTER VII + The Little Sisters 45 + + CHAPTER VIII + Something Happens 56 + + CHAPTER IX + Who? 64 + + CHAPTER X + A Day's Adventure 72 + + CHAPTER XI + An Afternoon's Fun 82 + + CHAPTER XII + Reports 90 + + CHAPTER XIII + What Henning Remembered 96 + + CHAPTER XIV + Facing the Boys 104 + + CHAPTER XV + Suspicions 111 + + CHAPTER XVI + Roy Makes a Move 119 + + CHAPTER XVII + Garrett is Angry 129 + + CHAPTER XVIII + A Talk 135 + + CHAPTER XIX + The Unexpected 142 + + CHAPTER XX + The Fairest Lily 149 + + CHAPTER XXI + The Passing of Ethel 157 + + CHAPTER XXII + Roy and His Father 163 + + CHAPTER XXIII + The Great Blow 170 + + CHAPTER XXIV + The Fallen Tree 177 + + CHAPTER XXV + Surprises for Roy 185 + + CHAPTER XXVI + Stockley's Story 193 + + CHAPTER XXVII + Stockley's Story (_Continued_) 201 + + CHAPTER XXVIII + The Unraveled Tangle 206 + + + + +"AS GOLD IN THE FURNACE" + + + + +CHAPTER I + +ROY SURPRISES HIS FRIENDS + + +"I tell you what it is, gentlemen, once for all. I can not go in for +baseball next spring, nor even for the few games we have still to play +this fall." + +Roy Henning was talking to a group of college boys of the upper classes +in St. Cuthbert's yard. It was late September and still very warm. The +little gathering of friends found the shade of a large elm tree in one +corner of the yard very grateful. A hearty burst of laughter followed +Roy's announcement. No one for an instant entertained the idea that +Henning was in earnest and meant what he said. Was he not passionately +fond of the game? Had he not, before vacation, been the very best +player on the college diamond? + +"Oh! of course not! of course not!" exclaimed Jack Beecham, Roy's +truest friend and constant companion. "Of course not! You're no good +anyway! You couldn't be center-rush on the eleven if you tried! You +don't know a thing about baseball either! Oh! no! And another team +wouldn't do a thing to us if you left the pitcher's box! Oh! no, not +at all!" + +"Look here, Jack," said Henning, "I'm in earnest. I am not going to +engage in sports at all this year." + +"Not for the money, I know that. It has always cost you a good penny. +But let me assure you, you dear old goose, that you can't come any +sort of game like that on us--not on me, at least. Let me tell you, +Roy boy, that you are most decidedly and most strictly in it, and in +it every time." + +"Look here, Jack, will you listen to reason----" began Roy Henning. + +"With pleasure, when I find evidence that you are in possession of +that valuable commodity." + +"But----" began Roy again. + +"That's all right, old fellow. We know your modesty, and all that. We're +also under the impression that you have recently developed a remarkable +penchant--that's the word, isn't it, boys--for practical jokes. But +this time be so condescending as to remember that joke-day--April 1, +you know--is a long way off. See?" + +"Yes, I see," replied Henning, "but you fellows will not, nor will you +listen to reason. So it is useless for me to talk." + +"That's precisely what we wish to do," said Jack--laughing Jack +Beecham--who struck an attitude and continued, "but you persist in +talking anything but reason. What an incontestably preposterous thing +for you to say that you are not going to play ball. Is a fish going to +swim?" + +"Nonsense or not, boys, I have good reason for saying what I have +said. It's a fact. I am not going to play." + +Roy Henning's clean-cut, handsome face was flushed at the moment with +vexation. His eyes showed his annoyance, and his brows contracted in +displeasure. It was vexatious enough for him to make--to be compelled +to make--such an announcement to his friends, but his chagrin was +rendered four-fold by having his companions receive his statement with +incredulity. Not the least part of his annoyance came from the fact +that his own particular friend should affect to believe that he was +perpetrating a practical joke, especially as he was very much in +earnest and the announcement had cost him much effort to make. + +When Roy Henning first came to St. Cuthbert's, he was a narrow-chested, +weakly boy of very quiet manners and of a retiring disposition, as the +readers of the chronicles of St. Cuthbert boys may remember. + +Month after month, however, saw him growing stronger and taller and +more robust, until now, in his last year at college, he was one of the +biggest boys in the yard, with the strength of a giant, and, as some +who knew declared, the grip of a blacksmith. The opportunities of +acquiring brawn and muscle he had not neglected, resulting in a +proficiency in running, jumping, swimming, and boating, and in all the +manly and invigorating exercises of school life. + +He was well aware how much the success of next summer's baseball +season really depended on him. He knew, also, what the boys expected +of him. They all regarded it as a foregone conclusion that he would +again be the captain and the principal pitcher on next season's team. + +No one but himself knew what annoyance it had been to him to make the +statement which his hearers had refused to accept otherwise than as +the merest joking. Yet he intended to give up sports for this school +year. Why? The reason for so doing, and all the consequences that such +a course of action brought in its train, will constitute the following +narrative. + +Roy's eyes, quick to sparkle in fun, quick to soften in sympathy, yet +quicker to glitter with indignation at any exhibition of smallness or +meanness, just now had a look in them other than was their wont. Their +owner was annoyed because the boys standing around him seemed determined +not to take him seriously, and this annoyance could be seen. For a +moment he felt a strong throb of anger, such as quickens the pulse, +and the hasty word was on the tip of his tongue, but he checked +himself in time. Why should he not be believed when he had made a +plain statement and had reiterated it? Yet there was a smile as of +incredulity on nearly all the faces grouped around him. + +The truth of the matter was that Jack Beecham and his companions were +hoping against hope. They clearly saw Henning's annoyance, and several +of them had more than a suspicion that, after all, he meant exactly +what he had said. Beecham's badinage was only a cover for his +uneasiness. + +A silence fell on the group, during which, to their nimble imaginations, +visions of future victories on the diamond grew dim, for every boy +there had the most unlimited confidence in the proven prowess of +Henning to lead them to victory. + +"But, Roy," said Tom Shealey, a short, thick-set, sturdy, whole-souled +boy, who had a habit of calling a spade a spade: "Give us your reason. +You are not sick?" + +"No, not sick, certainly," said Henning, smiling at such an idea. + +"What's your reason, then?--supposing you have a reason and are not +joking." + +"I'm not joking, Tom," said Henning, "but I can not give you my +reason." + +"Guess he has none," said Andrew Garrett, a youth who affected a blue +sweater instead of a coat and vest and whose face was not a +healthy-looking one. "Guess he has no reason. He's merely posing." + +The remark vexed Henning all the more that it came from his own cousin, +to whom in a difficult situation he might have looked naturally for some +form of support. + +"Stop that, Garrett," said Tom Shealey, hotly. "Do you wish to insult +your own cousin? I'd rather believe him than you--there! If Roy says +he has reasons for acting as he is doing and does not want to give +them to us, I believe he has them anyway. I guess you don't know your +own cousin as well as we do." + +"Well, why doesn't he give his reasons for not playing?" asked +Garrett, sulkily. + +"Because," answered Henning, with no little natural dignity, "I do not +feel at liberty to do so. If I did I would give them readily. Believe +me, boys, it is not by my own choice that I resign my position on the +baseball and football teams." + +"We believe you, Roy," said Shealey. "Although we regret your action, +we believe you have good reasons; don't we, Beecham?" + +Jack Beecham nodded affirmatively. "Yes," he replied, after a moment's +silence, "I joked at first only because I thought Roy was joking. Sorry +he wasn't. Garrett, you had better believe what your cousin says. He is +not accustomed to lie into or out of a thing." + +This remark was received by Garrett in silence. With a look unpleasant +enough to be considered a leer on his face he walked away, but Shealey's +innuendo, as we shall see later, had more significance for the one to +whom it was directed than the rest of the group realized. Were it not on +account of the relationship with Roy, the boys in general would have +ignored Garrett. Winters and Hunter and Stapleton and Clavering were +gone from St. Cuthbert's, having graduated the previous year. Henning +and Ambrose Bracebridge, Rob Jones and Tom Shealey were taking their +places, and among these Henning was most popular. + +In a few minutes Henning walked away, and his friends began freely to +discuss his decision, vaguely guessing at the motive which prompted it, +and entirely unsuccessful in arriving at any solution of the difficulty. + +"Of course," said Jack Beecham to Shealey, as they strolled about the +yard somewhat disconsolately, "Henning must have some good reason for +backing out, but I am more sorry than I can say that he has done so. I +am afraid things are going to be mighty unpleasant for him in +consequence." + +"I, too, am afraid they will be." + +"Well, I'm going to stick to him, come what may." + +"Same here," replied Shealey. "It won't be hard to do that, because he +is the soul of honor and a royal good fellow. You might as soon expect +anything wrong with him as--as to see----" + +"You at the head of your class in next examination," interrupted Jack. + +"Thanks! Or to see you heading the philosophers." + +"Thanks, too." + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE MOTIVE + + +Before proceeding to narrate the complications which beset Roy Henning's +path during his last year at St. Cuthbert's, and the many curious +cross-purposes of which he may be said to have been the victim, we shall +endeavor to give some idea of the motive which actuated him in retiring +from the arena of college sports. + +It must be remembered that Roy Henning, in the previous year, was a fast +friend of Claude Winters, Hunter, Selby, Clavering, and Stapleton. The +companionship of these boys had helped as much to form his character as +had the careful work of the professors. Under his friends' influence he +had gradually lost much of his bashfulness. By the time that Winters and +his other friends had graduated, he could conduct himself with an amount +of ease and composure. He no longer blushed and squirmed immoderately, +like a small boy, when addressed by a stranger or by one in authority. +He could now speak to a Father or even the President without wishing to +fall through the floor. Roy was much improved, yet the influence which +his companions of the previous year had exercised over him had taken a +somewhat peculiar turn. + +As far as he knew, not one of his last year's friends, now graduated and +gone, had any aspirations to study for the sacred ministry of the +priesthood. Their joyous piety, nevertheless, and their cheerful +goodness had been the means, entirely unknown to themselves, of making +Henning entertain a profound veneration for the ecclesiastical state. + +From often contemplating how eminently suited, both in talents and in +virtue, were many of his companions for this state, Roy had passed +from admiring them to the thought of the feasibility of embracing that +state himself. The more he thought of this, and the more frequently he +examined himself, the more enamored of the lofty idea he became; so +that at the expiration of the previous year's term he had fully made +up his mind to enter the priesthood should he secure the sanction of +his spiritual director. + +Before he left college for vacation he had a long interview with the +white-haired, holy old chaplain, from which he received great +encouragement, but was told to keep his intention a secret from all +save his parents. He took the admonition literally and obeyed it +exactly, so that he left St. Cuthbert's in the previous June without +his most intimate acquaintances so much as dreaming that he +entertained such exalted ambitions and aspirations to a dignity than +which there is none greater on earth. + +It was not remarkable that his companions should never imagine such +things of him. Was he not the recognized leader of all sports and +games? Who had a merrier shout? No one's laugh rang more musically +across the playground. How should boys--mere boys, after all--imagine +that graver thoughts and sublimer ambitions were coexistent with merry +pranks, resounding cheers, or harmless escapades. Well, boys, college +boys even, are gifted with only a limited prescience, and none +suspected the great plan of life which was now continually in Roy's +mind. + +He did not broach the subject to his father until the vacation months +were drawing to a close, and it was time to think about returning to +St. Cuthbert's. The Hennings spent the summer months in the lake +region. One beautiful calm, warm evening in August, Mr. Henning was +sitting on the broad veranda of his cottage, watching in quiet content +the silver pathway which the full moon made across the water, and +marveling how the light made the sails of the yachts appear now black, +now silver as the vessels tacked about. Roy, who for several days had +been watching his opportunity to have a private talk with his father, +saw that it had now come. He took a seat near his father. + +"Where are Mama and the children, Roy?" + +"They are down on the beach, Father, throwing sticks into the lake for +Fido to swim after. The dog is almost crazy with the delight of the +game." + +"Why are you not down there too? You seem to be moping lately, my boy. +Is anything the matter? Are you quite well?" + +"Quite, thanks. I am not moping, but the fact is, Father, I have +something I wish to talk to you about, and as the rest won't be back +for some time, perhaps this is a good opportunity to tell you what I +have to say." + +"Dear me! what a lot of mystery! Say on, son. I am all attention. Let +me see: how old are you? Nineteen next month, eh? You'll be graduated +next year at St. Cuthbert's, will you not?" + +"I hope so," replied the boy modestly. + +"That's right. Well, I suppose you want to talk about the choice of a +profession. It is quite time you made a choice, you know." + +"That is precisely what I wish to speak about." + +"Ah! Well, go on. I am willing to listen to your ideas, reserving, of +course, the right of veto, Is it to be the law, or medicine, or the +army? Perhaps 'tis the navy? I have influence enough to get you into +Annapolis, if you wish to follow the sea." + +"It is none of these you have mentioned, sir," said Roy, nervously, +and the next moment he blurted out awkwardly, "I want to enter the +priesthood!" + +"The priesthood!" said Henning senior, with an intonation that +expressed various emotions. "H--um!" And he remained a long time +silent. + +The light from the sitting-room fell on Mr. Henning's face. Roy watched +the florid features of his father. His closely-cropped white hair and +side-whiskers worn in the style once designated "mutton-chop," the +short-trimmed mustache, and clean-shaven, well-rounded chin, all showed +distinctly in the strong light of the reading lamp, which sent a flood +of light out across the veranda. Roy thought that his father's face was +unusually flushed. It appeared almost purple in the artificial light, +and the son became anxious, momentarily fearing that the suddenly +communicated intelligence might have caused a rush of blood to the head. +The family physician not long before had told Mrs. Henning that her +husband was quite liable to an attack of apoplexy. + +Roy could not guess what was passing within the mind of his father, +who remained silent a long time. Nothing was heard except the nervous +tapping of Mr. Henning's eyeglasses on the arm of the rocker. + +The boy knew that his father was irascible, and he was more or less +prepared for a storm. He waited for what he thought several minutes--in +reality less than forty seconds--for his father to speak. No sound was +heard save the nervous tap-tap-tapping on the arm of the chair. Roy +twirled his cap and shifted his weight from one foot to another. + +Then, as it often does, the unexpected occurred. Mr. Henning arose +from his chair, and without noticing his son, or saying a word, +retired into the house, leaving the surprised boy on the porch. + +The young man was perplexed at this turn of affairs. Had his father +flatly refused he could have pleaded and coaxed. Had he stormed, the +boy knew enough of his parent to be aware that the end he desired +would most probably be attained--when the storm blew over. + +Roy left the porch in a dazed sort of way. He had never seen his +father act so peculiarly. Wanting to be alone to think over the +affair, he sauntered off to a secluded part of the large lawn. + + * * * * * + +"Hi, Roy, is that you? Where have you been? I have been searching for +you everywhere. Put on your dancing pumps and come over to our villa. We +are going to have a carpet dance. All the tables and chairs have been +put out on the lawn, and we are going to have a jolly time. Come on." + +The speaker over the hedge was Andrew Garrett, Roy's cousin, whose +father had rented the adjoining villa for the summer. Garrett was on +the road, seated in a stylish dogcart. He held a pair of white ribbons +over a mettlesome horse whose silverplated harness ornaments shone +brightly in the moonlight. + +"You must make my excuses----" began Roy. + +"Eh! what? Oh! come! that won't do. My sisters have netted a lot of +girls, many of whom are already there, and the cry is 'still they +come.' We haven't enough partners for them. I am not slow at this kind +of affair, but, you know, a fellow can't make himself ubiquitous. Run +and put on your dancing-shoes, and if you spoil them in the dew +coming home, I'll buy you another pair to-morrow." + +"The puppy!" thought Roy, and the ugly word was on the tip of his +tongue, but he checked himself in time, and said: + +"I am sorry indeed to disappoint you, but I have more important things +to think about to-night. I really can not come. You must make my +excuse to auntie and your sisters." + +"Oh! hang it all, man; we haven't enough dancers!" + +"I am sorry, but to-night----" + +"Sorry!----" We regret to say that Garrett used an expression not at +all becoming to the lips of a Catholic young man. + +"You won't come, then?" + +"I can not, to-night." + +"You won't, you mean!" + +"I did not say that." + +"But you mean it. Well, I can go up the road and get the Meloche boys, +and the Poultneys, and others. Mark my words, Roy; I'll get even with +you for this. You'll be sorry for it yet. It's a mean trick. Get up, +Nance." + +And he gave the mare a vicious cut, which sent her rearing and racing +up the dusty country road, giving the ill-tempered boy all he could do +to prevent the spirited animal from running away with him. + +A week later, Roy Henning was surprised to learn that Andrew Garrett +was to be a student at St. Cuthbert's the coming term. His first +effort at "getting even" with his cousin was attempted as we have seen +in the preceding chapter, when Henning made the unwelcome announcement +of his retirement from college sports. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE CONDITIONS + + +The following morning, Mr. Henning called Roy to him soon after +breakfast. When the two had taken seats under a shady beech on the +lawn, Roy saw that his father appeared moody, and as if suffering +from a great disappointment. + +"What is this I hear about your refusing to go to your Aunt Garrett's +last night?" + +"I did not refuse to go and see Aunt Helen, sir. Andrew wanted me to +go and dance. I did not care to dance. Nor could I have gone and +retained my self-respect." + +"Dear me! dear me! Are not your Aunt Helen's children and their +friends good enough associates for you?" + +"Quite good enough. But, sir, you mistake my meaning. I had two +reasons for refusing. I do not care for dancing, and do not care to be +made a mere convenience of, nor do I wish to be patronized by my +cousin Garrett. My other reason was that I was anxious and worried, +having received no word from you since I told you of my earnest desire +to study for the priesthood." + +"Ah! Yes, to be sure. You may think my abrupt leaving you last night +was a strange proceeding. It was. I am sorry I vexed you. I want to be +kind." + +"Thank you, Father; I am sure you do." + +Mr. Henning was not a demonstratively affectionate man, and it must be +charged to heredity that his own child possessed decidedly similar +characteristics, especially in all absence of demonstrativeness. Roy +loved his father deeply, but no terms of endearment or outward show of +affection, so far as the boy could remember, had ever passed between +them. If Roy had only known he could have crept very close to his +father's heart this morning. If Roy could have known just then, he +would have seen his father's heart sore and sensitive, trying to +discipline itself into renouncing its life-long ambition--that of his +son's advancement. He had so earnestly wished the boy to adopt his own +profession. Was he not already getting along in years? Would not a +partner in his law practice become ere long an imperative necessity? + +He had too clear and too well-trained a mind not to see the futility +of attempting to thwart the boy's inclinations. He was too sincere a +Catholic of principle and too well instructed in the obligations of +his faith to wish effectually to prevent or destroy a vocation, and +yet--oh, it was hard! It was a sore trial to give up his dream of +years! + +"Thank you, Father; I am sure you wish to be kind." + +Roy, seeing that his father had remained silent an unusually long +time, repeated his remark. The elder man's lips twitched. The muscles +of his cheeks moved with the strong emotions he was experiencing. + +"Oh, Roy, Roy! Think what it all means for me! My shattered hopes for +you! I know that as a Catholic I dare not thwart you in following so +high a vocation, nor would I have it on my conscience to do so. But +all my shattered hopes of you! I have wealth and position, but they +are not everything. I have looked forward to you as my prop and stay +and my honor in my declining years. Must you--must you leave us? Are +you sure of this call? Is it not a mere passing fancy, such as many +good and pure boys have? Are you sure that your duty does not point to +your family rather than to the seminary? Are you sure, my lad?" + +The old gentleman's words were almost passionate. Young Henning was +unwontedly affected. He had never been placed in so peculiar a +position. His father evidently regarded him now, spoke to him, even +appealed to him, as to a man, with a man's responsibilities. For a +moment he was thrilled with exquisite pleasure in being so treated, +but he did not waver in his purpose. He knew that he would probably +add to his father's regrets, yet he was conscious that he could not +hold out the faintest hope that the parental wish, which appeared to +run contrary to what he now conceived to be his plain duty, would be +gratified. + +"My dear father," he said, "I am sorry to cause you pain, but I +believe I have this vocation and I must, in conscience, follow it." + +There was a long pause. + +"Well--what must be, must be, I suppose, but, my child, have you well +considered the step? Are you willing to live on a meager pittance, as +most priests do? Are you willing to lead a life of penurious denial +and of study? Can you face the ordeal of the confessional for hours at +a time, listening to tales of misery, wretchedness, and degradation? +Can you be strong with the strong, and not too strong with the weak? +Can you bear all this? Are you sure of yourself?" + +Now Roy Henning, during the previous year at St. Cuthbert's had thought +over the question of his vocation time and time again, examining +himself rigorously as to his fitness, and, as far as his experience +allowed, reviewing the life of the ordinary parish priest. He saw +clearly that no one embraced the priestly life from a purely natural +motive. Such as did, he argued, must become failures, and unfit for +their state. He had, as every one who has a true vocation, a higher +motive than a merely natural one. With him the supernatural was +paramount, and in its light all prosaic, squalid, unheroic circumstances +sank into insignificance. He, therefore, answered: + +"Yes, sir, I have thought it all over. I firmly believe I have a +vocation, and after I graduate, I think it will be my duty to enter a +seminary with a view to probing and testing it." + +"I will not thwart you, my boy; I dare not. But do you think yourself +worthy of so high a calling?" + +"I do not, indeed, Father; but my confessor encourages me to go on." + +Mr. Henning sighed on discovering that the opinion of the boy's +confessor was averse to his wishes--sighed as if giving up his last +hope of being able to change his son's views. He then altered his +manner suddenly, as if ashamed of having displayed emotion before any +member of his family. He was again the sharp, shrewd man of affairs. + +"Very well, sir," he said, with a crispness in his voice which +hitherto had been absent; "you take your degree the coming year. After +that you have my permission to enter a seminary. I will be responsible +for your expenses until your ordination. As you desire, however, to +enter a hard and self-denying life I consider it my duty to test you +myself to some extent during the coming school year." + +In the midst of the delight at his father's capitulation, Roy looked +up in surprise. He wondered what was coming next. + +"You must apply yourself wholly and solely to your studies. I shall +allow you only twenty-five dollars for your private expenses, and I +desire and insist that for the last year of your college life you +relinquish all sports of whatsoever kind." + +"Father!" cried the poor boy in dismay; and oh, the heart-sinking that +was expressed in that one word! + +"I mean precisely what I say," persisted Mr. Henning, almost +relentlessly; "a priest's life is one of constant self-sacrifice and +denial. You can not begin to practise those virtues too soon." + +"But, Father, I am captain of the ball nine, and the football eleven, +at college!" And there was a world of appeal in the boy's voice. + +"I am sorry, under the circumstances, to hear it. Abstinence from +baseball and football and boating and all sorts of contests is the +condition under which I sanction your plans, which, pardon me if I say +it, I can not but consider chimerical. The test I have selected will +prove how right or wrong I am in my opinion. You will take only enough +exercise to keep a sound mind in a sound body." + +Whether Roy Henning's father was acting judiciously or otherwise, we +will not undertake to say. We merely give the facts. Mr. Henning was +desirous to see how his son would act under circumstances which he +readily admitted would be particularly trying. + +It is probable that many boys will be inclined to think that Roy +Henning was not in such a very sad plight after all, and perhaps would +be willing to exchange places with him if their pocketbooks were +exchanged too. It is true that many a boy goes to college with far +less spending money than that which was to be Roy's share for his +graduating year. It must be understood, in order to make Roy's +position clear, that the boy was generous to a fault, and never having +stinted his expenditures at college, or been stinted in the supply, he +was looked to for pecuniary assistance by all sorts of college +associations whose financial condition, as most collegians are aware, +is perennially in a state of collapse. He was one of the most popular +boys, because his purse was always open. + +His father had, indeed, arranged a severe test for him. He little +realized what the trials of a rich boy's poverty were. Little did he +imagine to what hours of guiltless ignominy he was unwittingly +condemning his son. We must do the lawyer the justice to say that had +he imagined but one-tenth of the trials which were to come upon his +son by his restrictive action, he would have been the last man to have +imposed the conditions. + +Roy Henning accepted them unreservedly, and the conversation at the +beginning of the first chapter shows us how fully and completely he +intended to obey his father's injunctions. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +ROY AND GARRETT + + +Henning was not overwhelmingly delighted when he learned that Andrew +Garrett was to accompany him to St. Cuthbert's. He knew his cousin's +disposition fairly well and did not expect to derive much pleasure +from his presence at college, although he was aware that the +relationship would occasion more or less close intimacy. + +Never were two boys more dissimilar in character. Henning had been +molded at St. Cuthbert's for five or six years. He had imbibed that +spirit which is found among the students of every well-conducted +Catholic college--that peculiar something which is so difficult to +define, but which is so palpable in its effects, elevating and +rendering the Catholic student the comparatively superior being he is. +Those who have intelligently watched this college phenomenon admit +that the tone, or spirit, or influence, or whatever it may be, is like +nothing else on earth, so that if nothing else were accomplished, this +result gives abundant reason for the existence of our Catholic +colleges. If one were asked to define the exact process, to point out +the various means employed, in transforming a crude youth into the +manly, generous, self-possessed young man of high ideals and noble +purpose, it would be found a most difficult thing to do. + +Roy Henning was a fair example of what Catholic training does for a +well-disposed youth. He was not perfect, as we shall probably see +later on in our story; yet he had qualities that endeared him to all +who knew him. Hating any appearance of meanness, he was ever the +champion of the weak or the oppressed, as many a boy who was not the +"under-dog" found to his cost. His cheerful, manly piety made religion +attractive. There was nothing squeamish or mawkish about him. +Everybody who knew him would laugh at the idea that Henning and +effeminacy had the remotest connection. If the truth were told of him +at this time he was, owing to his splendid health and sound physique, +verging on the opposite of effeminacy. + +Under the tutelage of such boys as Hunter, Claude Winters, Clavering, +and others, he had developed into a really fine athlete. The "muscles +of his brawny arms were" literally "strong as iron bands," and that +one was certainly to be pitied who, if under Roy's displeasure, came +in close contact with him. + +Andrew Garrett was his cousin's antithesis. He was about the same +inches as Roy, who measured five feet ten inches in his stocking feet, +but beyond this all resemblance ceased. Andrew was not an athlete. He +was of spare build, but did not look healthy. His chest was narrow, +his arms and legs spindling and flabby. He had no muscle, because he +took little exercise, and was, consequently, frequently bilious, which +often resulted in his saying or doing much meaner and pettier things +than he intended. It would be difficult to find two more dissimilar +characters than these two cousins. + +In justice to Andrew Garrett it must be stated that when he came with +his cousin to St. Cuthbert's he had not the slightest knowledge of the +conditions under which Roy was laboring. Owing to what he had previously +known of the state of Roy's purse both at home and during vacation +time, he had not the slightest suspicion that now his cousin's paternal +allowance had been inconveniently curtailed. Whether he would have acted +differently had he known all the circumstances is a matter of +conjecture. Garrett was a factor in much of the annoyance Roy Henning +suffered during the year. + +For several days after the arrival of Andrew Garrett, Mr. Shalford, +the prefect, watched him closely. Being a cousin of Henning, the +prefect thought it was natural that he would associate with the +Henning-Bracebridge-Shealey-Beecham set, and be one of those to whom +no particular attention need be given. He was not a little surprised +to discover that these boys had very little to do with him. There was +no overt act on their part by which Garrett could be said to have been +snubbed or "dropped," but the prefect saw that there seemed to be a +tacit understanding among these boys to let Garrett severely alone. No +one had any particular liking for him, and it is quite probable that +had he not been Henning's cousin, he would have experienced several +times a very unpleasant quarter of an hour. + +Roy Henning was now one of the leaders among the forthcoming graduates. +His influence was now as great as Hunter's or Winter's had been in the +previous year, and his relationship with Garrett saved that boy much +annoyance, which, by his want of tact and a lack of companionableness, +he would have brought upon himself. + +"You do not seem to get along with the other boys, Garrett," said Mr. +Shalford kindly, one day not long after the conversation recorded in +our first chapter. + +"I guess I can manage without them," was the ungracious reply. + +"I don't think you can, my boy," said Mr. Shalford. + +"Well, I do. I think I can manage my own affairs." + +The prefect did not know whether this speech was intended as a rebuff +to his advances, but he took a charitable view of it, and ascribed it +to awkwardness, rather than to intentional boorishness. He said: + +"Let me tell you, Andrew, that you can do no such thing." + +"Yes, I can." + +"Look here, my young man. You are forgetting yourself. I do not know +what sort of training you received at home, but while you are here, +you must speak to your superiors with more respect. Prefects and +professors and the other officers of the college are accustomed to be +treated here with at least a certain amount of deference." + +The boy winced under the allusion to his home training. He prided +himself upon being a gentleman, and, indeed, his home life was all +that was delightful. As if he had read his thoughts, the prefect said: + +"Do you know the meaning of gentleman--a gentle man? It is not +necessarily an inherited quality of birth. It is rather a question of +manners, is it not?" + +Garrett hung his head. He knew that he had been rude and uncouth. + +"Forgive me, sir. I did not mean to be ungentlemanly. But I do not +like these boys here. They don't seem to treat me squarely." + +"Why? What is wrong?" asked the prefect, now satisfied. + +"Oh! I don't exactly know. They all seem inclined to let me alone. +Nobody seems to want to have anything to say to me." + +"Perhaps that statement is not altogether exact. Have you not annoyed +or vexed several of them one way or another? Think now of what you may +have done. If you want to get along with St. Cuthbert's boys, you will +have to act honorably and above board in everything. Do not for a moment +imagine that I am accusing you of anything underhand or mean. I am far +from doing so. But boys are quick to discern character--frequently +quicker than men. It is a species of intuition with them, and they +are rarely deceived. You have been here a month. Do you know of any +nicknames among the boys?" + +"Yes, sir; several of them. There is Shanks, and Owly, and Pinchey, +or Pinchbeck, and a lot more of them." + +"Just so. Now, do you not see that each of these boys to whom a nickname +sticks has just the characteristic or foible the name indicates?" + +"Yes, sir, that is true." + +"I am glad you recognize it. You have not as yet developed or shown +any particular trait which would give the boys an opportunity of +attaching any particular name to you. I should advise you to watch +carefully, for, believe me, if they do give you a name, it will not be +a pleasant one, and probably it will be one that will sting. At all +events it will be one that will show to you your foibles pretty +clearly. Watch yourself, therefore, and prevent it if you can." + +With this warning the prefect left the boy and went to ring the great +bell as first warning for supper. Garrett remained in a "brown study" +for some time. Had he taken the prefect's advice he might have saved +himself many hours of subsequent regret and remorse. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +A PITCHING CAGE + + +Jack Beecham and Tom Shealey were standing at a window in their +classroom one dark afternoon in the late fall. They had their heads +together, for both were reading from the same letter, which the former +had just received. They were evidently much interested in its contents, +for neither noticed the entrance of Rob Jones, nor were they conscious +of his presence until he, boylike, gave them both simultaneously a thump +on the back. + +"You must be mightily interested, you two, not to hear me come in," +said Jones. + +"We felt your presence, Rob, quick enough," said Beecham. + +"It was quite striking," added Shealey. + +"What's the news? It must be of tremendous importance to cause such +absorption." + +"It is important," said Shealey. "Jack has just received a nice letter +from those nice fellows of Blandyke College. They write +elegantly--perfect gentlemen." + +"What have they to say?" inquired Jones. + +"It isn't a challenge for next spring, or anything of that sort," said +Jack, "but a sort of recapitulation of this year's games we played +together, and a chat over the prospects of next year. Listen to this: +'We met with few defeats this summer, and I am instructed by the nine +to say that if we were to be defeated--and we were once or twice, as +you remember--we preferred to have been defeated by no one but the +St. Cuthbert's team, not only because you, gentlemen, were considered +worthy of our steel, but also because every player on your team was a +gentleman whom it was a pleasure and an honor to meet.'" + +"Now isn't that nice!" exclaimed Beecham. "But let us see what more he +has to say. They are capital fellows, these Blandykes," and Jack read +on: "'We intend to meet you early next summer, if we can arrange some +games with you. We have great pleasure in telling you that we intend +to wipe out all defeats of this season. With this in view, we have, +already, men daily in the pitching cage, and our captain intends to +keep his men in training all the winter months.'" + +"They must feel pretty sure of victory to tell us all their plans," +remarked Beecham. "Pshaw! isn't it a pity that Henning has gone back +on us! I wonder what we shall do without him!" + +"I don't know. I can't imagine," remarked Jones. "Whatever we do, +we must not be behind the Blandykes. We, too, must get a cage and +practice pitching and catching. We can't afford to dim the glory of +last summer's record. You remember we won two out of the three games +we played with the Blandykes. Next spring we must capture the three." + +"But we have no cage, and they are expensive things," observed +Beecham. + +"Pass round the hat," remarked Shealey promptly; "of course Roy will +help us as usual. He is always generous with his money; just the +fellow who deserves to have plenty of it." + +"Yes, that's true," said Jones, "and I suppose his cousin, young +Garrett, has plenty of cash to spare too, but I doubt whether he will +be as generous as Roy has always been. Thanksgiving day will be here +in ten days, and we ought to have the pitching cage ready when the +football season closes." + +"What will Mr. Shalford say about it?" asked Beecham. + +"Oh! he will leave it all to us, that's sure; but we may expect his +one proviso which he is very strong on, and that is, as you know, that +we do not go into debt." + +"Very good," said Jack. "Then we had better begin at once. Here comes +Garrett. I'll try him first." + +Beecham explained the project to Garrett, and then asked him whether +he would help them out. His first words rang with a false note. + +"Has my cousin given anything?" he asked. + +"Not yet. We have not seen him yet. You are the first that has been +asked." + +"Very well. Put me down for five dollars." + +"Thanks; much obliged," said Beecham, without a particle of +enthusiasm. + +Strange to say, young Garrett did not feel satisfied. He had at once +conceived this an opportunity to make himself popular by a liberal +donation. The gift, for a college student, was liberal enough; but +there was something in the merely civil "Thanks," from Beecham, which +told him he had not succeeded, at this time, in his purpose. He +thought he detected in the tone a covert sneer. But of this he was not +sure. He made another mistake. + +"Let me know," he said, "what my cousin subscribes, and if he gives +more than I have given, I will increase mine." + +A second civil--but colder--"Thanks," greeted this speech, and Garrett +walked away in no very pleasant frame of mind. "Why is Roy so popular +and I a nonentity?" he asked himself, but it was to be a long time +before he would learn the answer to his own question. + +Beecham and Shealey started at once on a subscription tour. They +caught Henning in the study-hall. + +"Hello, Roy! We have come to bleed you, old man. We are going to put +up a pitcher's cage in one end of the long playroom for winter +practice. How much shall we put you down for?" + +Roy Henning blushed slightly and a look resembling pain came over his +face. His father's test was beginning to operate. Roy, owing to his +restricted capital, had made a resolution to spend only two dollars +and a half each month. He made a rapid calculation of the present +month's necessary boyish expenses, and he knew that he would have very +little to offer them. Before he could speak, however, Beecham +remarked: + +"Say, Roy boy, we know you won't play next spring; but we want you to +be treasurer and secretary of the club." + +"Yes, you are the man for the job," said Shealey, "none better. Won't +you take it? You can do ten times more with the boys than either Jack +or myself." + +"I don't know----" hesitated Henning, for several reasons. + +"Oh, yes, you do, Roy," urged Jack. "You are a capital beggar, you +know, and with your own big donation at the head of the list you will +be irresistible." + +"Call him a good solicitor," laughed Shealey, "it's more euphonious." + +"I think I can act as treasurer and secretary for you, if the boys are +willing. It is the least I can do if I don't play." + +"Of course it is. Thanks. That's good of you," said Beecham, and +Shealey nodded approvingly. + +"Now, Roy, how much shall I put you down for before I hand over to you +the subscription list? Twenty is too much, I suppose," said Shealey. + +Roy looked out of the window in a perplexed sort of way. He had always +been a liberal contributor. What would his friends think of him now? +The paternal test was certainly a hard one in more ways than one. + +"I am afraid I shall disappoint you," he said. + +"In what?" asked Beecham. "In book-agent assurance? Never fear. I am +willing to certify that beneath all your laughing good humor, you are +possessed of an unlimited amount of--of--well--to put it without +circumlocution--an unlimited amount of cheek. No one can withstand +your winning smile and drawing manner. But what is your own gift? Let +us head the list with that. I must tell you that your cousin Garrett +has promised to equal your subscription, so make it large, if you +please. He has already given----" + +"How much?" asked Henning uneasily. + +"Five dollars." + +"Oh!" said Henning, with something very like a sob in his throat. + +"Better make it twenty-five, Roy; you can spare it, and it's practically +giving an extra twenty which comes out of the pocket of that beg--Oh! I +beg your pardon. I am constantly forgetting that he is your cousin. I +wish he wasn't." + +Beecham spoke the last sentence in blunt, boyish fashion. Roy understood +him, but just now he was not inclined either to defend his cousin, or +discuss his friend's desires. + +"I am afraid I shall disappoint you this time, boys," said Roy. + +"You never have yet," remarked Shealey. + +"But I shall this time, I am sure." + +"Well, let's see the amount of the disappointment," said Beecham +laughingly. + +Jack Beecham, of late, could not, as he himself expressed it, "make out" +his friend Roy. Several times since the beginning of September he had +surprises from Henning. He was beginning to regard him as an uncertain +or even an unknown quantity. Was his friend becoming miserly? This idea +made Jack Beecham laugh. Roy misanthropical! The clever, bright, jolly +Roy doing aught but loving all mankind was absurd to think of, but +yet--There certainly had come over his bright, genial friend a change +which was puzzling. What could---- + +But his thoughts, as he stood expectantly, with his pencil and +notebook in hand, were interrupted by what Roy said next: + +"You may put me down for two dollars and fifty cents." Shealey only +partly suppressed a giggle, supposing that Roy, as usual, was hoaxing. +Roy saw the laugh and was deeply hurt. + +"Phew!" began Jack Beecham, and he was about to make a very +straightforward remark when he caught a side view of poor Roy's face, +which was suffused with the blushes of mortification. There was a look +of positive pain there. + +Good, sensible Jack at once saw there was something wrong somewhere. +Hastily changing his pencil from right-hand to left, he took Roy's +hand and pressed it warmly, sympathetically. The action told more than +words could do. Beecham gave a quick glance toward the door for +Shealey, which that individual understood and immediately departed. + +When they were alone Jack said: + +"You are in trouble, Roy. Is there--is there any financial difficulty +at home?" + +"None whatever, Jack; but I can't explain." + +There was another silent pressure of the hand. + +"Nor will I ask you to do so. But there is something wrong somewhere. +Oh, Roy! If I could do--if I could share--look here, Roy," he at last +blurted out, boy-fashion, "look here. I intend to give twenty +dollars--let me put ten of it under your name--do let me." + +"No, no, Jack," said Roy, after a few moments of silence which his +emotion compelled him to observe; "no, you must not do that. I can't +explain, but come what may I want you not to misunderstand me. +Whatever you may hear or see I want you not to lose faith in me," and +Roy Henning held out his hands to his friend, while there was a +hungry, eagerly hungry, look in his eyes. + +There was, of course, no absolute reason why Roy Henning could not +have given his entire confidence to his friend. His father had made no +such restriction in the test he had imposed. It was Roy's own peculiar +temperament which prevented him from confiding in any one; in +consequence his trials were in reality much more severe than even his +father could have foreseen. + +"Have faith in you! Believe in you! Well, I should guess. I don't +understand it all--your refusing to play, and this--this small +donation, and everything; but, believe in you! Roy, I would as soon +cease to believe in myself." + +Roy's eyes were hot, and his lips were dry. + +"Thanks, old man. I knew you would. I can't explain--yet. But as long +as you have confidence in me I'll go through it all right. God bless +you, Jack." + +Young Beecham was more mystified than ever at this exhibition of +emotion, but he felt at the moment something like the knight of old +who sought quarrels to vindicate the fair name of the lady of his +heart. To make the simile more in accordance with our own more prosaic +times, Jack Beecham became Henning's champion, and went around for +several days with a metaphorical chip on his shoulder, daring any one +to come and knock it off. Of course, the chip represented Roy +Henning's actions and intentions. + +After this interview, Roy looked a long time out of the study-hall +window. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +ADVICE + + +Whether Roy Henning's small donation to the boys' collection for the +purchase of the pitching cage for the winter practice was the cause, +or whether there was some other occult reason, the subscriptions came +in very slowly. Many boys, seeing that Roy, usually the largest +contributor to all such schemes, had given so small an amount, +measured their own donations by his. The project, consequently, +dragged along very slowly. The treasurer-secretary more than once +called those interested together, and proposed that they should give +up the plan. + +To this neither Shealey, nor Beecham, nor Bracebridge would listen. +They were boys who, having once taken a project in hand, were +determined to carry it through to success. Bracebridge encouraged +Henning to continue his work of soliciting, but the latter found that +he was working against some impalpable obstacle to success, the nature +of which he could not divine. + +The boys were as free and as genial with him as ever. Every one +appeared to like him as usual, yet withal there was an intangible +something in the atmosphere, as it were, which appeared to militate +against his success. Roy often tried to discover the cause. Was this +silent but unmistakable change toward him, which had lately come over +most of the boys, of his own causing? After much introspection he +could discover no reason for blaming himself. + +His retirement from the field of college sports had been more than a +nine-days' wonder. All his friends, not understanding or guessing his +motive, expostulated with him, and time and again urged him to +reconsider his decision. He had remained firm. + +His more immediate friends had long ago ceased to make the matter a +subject of conversation in his presence, giving him credit for acting +from right intentions, although what these were, now near Christmas, +was as much a mystery to them as they were on the September day on +which he had announced his withdrawal. + +Others were not so considerate. With a savagery often found among +thoughtless but not necessarily ill-intentioned boys, they frequently +discussed his "going back on his team," as they expressed it, in Roy's +presence, with an almost brutal unreserve. + +"If I could play ball as you do, Henning," said a coarse-grained youth +named Stockley, one day, "I would call myself a dog in the manger." + +"And why, please?" asked Henning, who was by this time getting used to +such talk from those whose opinion he did not value. + +"The old reason. A bird that can sing and won't sing, ought to be made +to sing. The honor of the college is at stake." + +"Your motto has no application in this case," replied Henning. "If I +do any injustice to any one by not playing ball, then I ought to be +the bird who should be made to sing. But I think you will have some +difficulty in proving that I am acting against justice. As to the +honor of the college being at stake, in that you know as well as I do, +if you have any sense at all, that you are talking sheer nonsense." + +"I don't know whether I am," sneered Stockley. "I am not the only one +who thinks there is a nigger in the woodpile in this affair. Your +cousin was saying only this morning that he could tell the boys +something why you will not play ball that would make things mighty +ugly for you." + +"Now look here, Stockley," said Henning warmly, "you go and mind your +own business and leave me and Garrett alone or--or it will be +decidedly unpleasant for you." + +Stockley, coarse as he was, was observant. He saw Henning's fist close +tightly, and he observed the muscles of his arm swell up for a minute. +He discreetly moved some paces away. + +"When I want your advice upon my conduct," continued Henning, "I will +ask it. Till then, mind your own affairs, and keep your tongue from +wagging too freely about mine." + +The young fellow walked away, muttering some unintelligible words +between his teeth. Roy saw no more of him for several days. + +Henning entered the Philosophy classroom with a flushed face and an +unpleasant frown. + +"What's up, Roy?" asked Ambrose Bracebridge, seeing that his friend +had been suffering some annoyance. + +"Nothing, Brosie; only I have had to talk pretty freely to one fellow +who attempted the mentor business over me." + +"Nothing serious, I hope?" + +"Oh, no. I merely told him to mind his own business; that's all." + +"Do you care to walk?" asked Bracebridge, who saw Henning was very +much annoyed. + +"Yes, come along," replied Henning. + +They walked some time in the face of a cutting wind, such as brings +tears to the eyes. While facing it conversation was impossible. +Presently they came to the base of a wooded hill which afforded them +some shelter. Here they could talk at ease. + +"How much money have you collected, Roy, for the cage?" asked Ambrose +as soon as both had finished rubbing their chilled cheeks to bring +back the circulation. + +"I have collected sixty-four dollars in cash, but about eighty-seven +has been subscribed. Why do you ask?" + +"Please do not think me impertinently curious if I ask you where you +keep it." + +"Certainly not. It is in the drawer of the table in the dressing-room +of the gymnasium. That room just off the playroom. You know, Ambrose, +that is the place of meeting of all committees of the various college +associations. It's safe there; don't you think so?" + +"Yes--perhaps," answered Bracebridge, with evident hesitation. "I +would rather you keep it there than in your desk, or in your trunk." + +"Why? You appear uneasy. What's the matter?" + +"It may be foolish of me, but, Roy, I can not help thinking there is +some ugly work being concocted. No doubt you think I am fanciful, but +I have accidentally overheard here a word and there a word which I do +not like." + +"From whom?" + +"I can not tell you from whom, because it is all too vague, and if I +mentioned any name I may be doing an innocent boy a grave injustice. +There is a good deal of talk against you. Many silly fellows have +taken it as a personal affront that you refuse to play ball." + +"Pshaw! I----" + +"Wait, old fellow: of course that is all nonsense. It is no one's +business except your own, and their talking is not worth your +consideration. Nevertheless there are a few restless spirits here this +year, and it is my opinion they are only waiting their chance to make +trouble for you." + +"What would you advise me to do, Brosie?" + +"Why not put all the money you have collected into the hands of the +college treasurer? He will take care of it for you. It will be safer +in the office vault than in the committee-room." + +"I think it would be the better plan, but really I do not think there +is any necessity for it. There is no one here who would attempt a +robbery." + +"Maybe there is not; but as I said, it is better to be on the safe +side." + +"All right. Much obliged. I guess I'll take your advice. Jack Beecham, +only yesterday, hinted something similar to what you have just said +about the ugly spirit against me. I wonder why it should have arisen, +Ambrose, if it really does exist outside of your imagination. I have +done nothing small or mean to any one. The head and front of my +offending seems to be that I have withdrawn from next year's ball +team. I happen to be a good player. Personally I regret having to take +the course, but circumstances have occurred, which, in a way, compel +this action. I can not divulge my reasons for so doing, even to my +nearest friends--not even to Jack or you, Ambrose." + +"Nor do we wish to know them," replied Ambrose, "it is quite +sufficient for us to know that you do not wish to give them. Both +Beecham and Shealey, and of course, myself, have every confidence in +you, and you may rely on our staunch support in anything that may +happen. By the way, how does the prefect, Mr. Shalford, regard you?" + +"I do not know exactly," said Henning, cautiously. "You see, he is a +great enthusiast for sport and games among us boys. I know I have +vexed him by my decision. More than once he asked me to retract it. +When I refused to do so, and told him I could give him no reason, he +seemed, or at least I fancied he seemed, to be cool toward me." + +"Don't misjudge him, Roy," said the other, warmly. "It was only +yesterday that he advocated your cause to half a dozen pessimistic +baseball malcontents. He's all right. Before he had done with these +fellows, they held very different views concerning you. Still, he has +not influenced all in your favor, for, as you know, not all will take +a common-sense view of things, nor listen to reason." + +Henning nodded assent. + +"The fact is," Ambrose continued, "the yard seems to be dividing or +divided into two camps. One is pro-Henning, the other contra. +Therefore, and I know you will take what I say in the right spirit, I +want you to watch yourself and be quite careful in what you say and +do." + +"Do you think I shall be attacked?" + +Ambrose glanced over the big form of his friend, and laughed loudly. + +"Not much. There is no one such a fool as to invite corporal punishment. +But there are a dozen means of annoying and vexing without resorting to +the lowest means--physical force." + +"I am really very grateful, Ambrose, for the interest you take in me. +Be sure that, come what may, you shall never be ashamed of having done +so. It seems to me that, without the slightest fault of my own, I am +placed in a most awkward position. Come what may, I'll try to do +nothing I should afterward regret." + +"That's right. I know you will be careful." + +The two shook hands with the warmth of confident friendship, as they +began to retrace their way to the college. + +On their way home they were joined by Garrett, who still affected +the sky-blue sweater, although he now wore it under his coat. In +the presence of Garrett the two friends dropped the subject of +their confidences, and the conversation became general. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE LITTLE SISTERS + + +Time crept slowly, as it is apt to do with boys at school. To the St. +Cuthbert boys it seemed as if the year had leaden wings, but at length +the week before Christmas arrived. All were now in expectation of +coming events. If anticipation is half the joy, then most of the boys +were taking their Christmas pleasures in advance. + +Already the Christmas feeling was in the atmosphere. In various +out-of-the-way places were stored bunches of holly and cedar and +laurel. At all times of the day when boys where free from lessons, +some one or other would be carrying strange wooden devices from place +to place. Now one would be seen carrying to some out-of-the-way shed +or unused classroom, wooden stars or double triangles. Another would +partially and often unsuccessfully secrete a knot of clothesline. +There never was such a demand for fine wire or binding twine. + +All of which meant the mediate preparation for decorating the chapel, +study-hall, refectory, and even to some extent, the gymnasium. It was +a pretty fiction among the boys that all the preparations had to be +done in secret. It was fiction only, for the real fact was that, in +both divisions, everybody was interested and everybody knew exactly +what everybody else was doing. + +None entered into the work of remotely preparing for Christmas more +heartily than Roy Henning and his friends, Bracebridge, Shealey, and +Beecham. There is a certain skill required in decorating. To some this +proficiency never comes. It is perhaps an innate quality. It had never +come to Roy Henning: He was no decorator. He could neither make a wreath +of evergreens, nor cover a device with green stuff creditably. + +Owing to this defect of at least a certain kind of artistic temperament, +Henning was the subject of a good amount of banter from his friends. He +took all their teasing good-naturedly, and admitted his utter inability +to make or cover designs. + +"I have been thinking--ouch!" said Henning. The last word was +spontaneous. It came from sudden pain, caused by the sharp point +of a holly leaf penetrating his finger, which member he immediately +applied to his mouth. + +"By my halidom," remarked Shealey, "'tis strange!" + +"Don't do it again," laughed Bracebridge, "but learn from experience +what an awful and immediate retribution follows upon such a crime. +Hast lost much blood in this encounter?" + +"I think each of you fellows has a screw loose," retorted Roy, still +sucking his wounded finger. "I am sure Shealey is _non compos +mentis_." + +"Sane enough to keep holly thorns out of our fingers," retorted +Shealey. + +"But, fellows, I really have an idea," said Henning. + +"Halt! Attention! Stand at ease! Dismiss company!" shouted Beecham +with mock gravity, and then with a military salute, he said: + +"Now, colonel, I am all attention. What is it?" + +"It's this, boys. It wants but five days to Christmas. Between now and +the great day all our Christmas boxes will have arrived." + +"There's nothing very new in that idea," answered Jack Beecham. +"History, just at this time of the year, has the pleasantest way in +the world of repeating itself." + +"You'll be accused of having brains, Jack," said Henning, "if you keep +on that way. If it is not too great a waste of gray matter, or too +violent a cerebration for you, just try to listen to me for a moment." + +Jack Beecham fell against the wall, and fanned himself with his +handkerchief. + +"Poor fellow! Isn't it too bad! and so near the holidays, too," he +said. "Does any one know when the first symptoms appeared?" Jack +turned to Shealey and Bracebridge. "Hadn't we better call an ambulance +at once?" + +"You'll need one if you don't stop your nonsense and listen to me," +said Roy, and he doubled up his great fist. His friends knew Roy's +blows, although given only in jest, and having no desire for sore +bones for Christmas, they were immediately all attention. Henning +laughingly relaxed his muscles and allowed his hands to fall to his +sides. + +"I thought I could bring you fellows to reason," he remarked. + +"We are all attention. Say on, say on," they shouted. + +"My idea is this, then. When we get our Christmas boxes, we shall each +have much more than we need. Now you know the Little Sisters of the +Poor maintain a large number of men and women in their institution. +Without any settled income, don't you think it must often be a +difficult matter for them to secure enough for the old people to eat +and drink?" + +"Never thought anything about it. Guess it's true, though; but how +does that affect us?" + +"Just this way," said Roy. "Let us ask every boy to give something out +of his abundance to provide a feast for the old people." + +"Capital idea!" shouted Bracebridge. "I do not believe there is a boy +who would refuse." + +"I agree with you," said Jack. + +"But the difficulty is," remarked Ambrose, "that we can not feast old +folk on cake and nuts and candy. I suppose this is about all that +comes in those boxes." + +"You mistake," remarked Roy. "I am sure you will find all sorts of +cooked meats--turkeys, chickens, geese, and an unlimited supply of +canned meats and delicacies." + +Bracebridge was surprised, but then he had not much experience in +college Christmas boxes. He was inclined to be slightly incredulous. +This was Ambrose's second year at St. Cuthbert's. As he had spent the +previous Christmas at home, owing to the fact that he lived but a few +miles from the college, he had not yet seen the college sights of +Christmas time. + +Had he seen the hundreds of Christmas boxes arrive a few days before the +great feast; had he learned that one of the smaller study-halls had to +be converted into a temporary boxroom for the holidays; had he seen the +contents of an average Christmas box from home, he would have been +possessed by no doubt as to the possibility of the boys, presuming they +were willing, to supply the inmates of the home for the aged poor with +as bounteous a dinner as heart could desire. + +The proposal appealed to the fancy of our friends. They went at once +to the President to obtain the necessary permission. + +"I give you leave willingly," said the head of the college, "and +I am pleased to see my boys cultivating a spirit of charity and +considerateness for others. It will bring down God's blessing +on you all." + +"Father, it wasn't our idea at all," said Jack. "It originated +with----" + +"We have another permission to ask, Father," interrupted Roy Henning. + +"What next?" said the President, smiling. + +"We would like to be allowed to go and serve the dinner to the old +people some day during the Christmas week." + +"Dear me! What would three hundred and fifty boys do there?" + +"I don't mean everybody, Father." + +"Whom, then?" + +"Just enough to serve all their tables." + +"How many inmates are there in the Home?" asked the Father. + +"About two hundred, I believe," replied Beecham. + +"Very well, Henning; you may select two dozen boys to go with you." + +"Thank you, Father. When may the feast take place?" + +"Christmas day falls on Monday this year. Suppose you arrange matters +for Wednesday. But Wednesday night there is to be the Seniors' play, +isn't there?" + +"Yes, Father," said Bracebridge, "but I do not think that will +interfere. We can have the last rehearsal in the morning, if +necessary, or we can be back by three o'clock in the afternoon." + +"Very good," said the genial President; "arrange everything with your +prefect; but remember the matter drops unless the response is generous +among the students. It would not do to send half a feast." + +"There won't be any danger of that, Father," said Jack Beecham +confidently. + +"Very well. God bless you for your charitable intentions," and they +were dismissed. + +Beecham was correct. The students, almost to a man, became enthusiastic +over the proposed feast. Abundance of provisions from the boys' boxes +was donated. Every boy, instinct with the spirit of the season, gave +something and gave it willingly. Some were offended because they were +not allowed to give as much as their generosity prompted. One or two who +were inadvertently neglected were very much vexed over not being asked +to give their share. Many wondered why the beautiful idea had not +occurred to them before. Others were so certain in advance of the +success of the banquet that they then and there proposed to make it an +annual occurrence. + +The little black wagon of the Sisters--and who does not know those +wagons! a familiar sight in nearly every city in the Union--made +several trips to the college on the Wednesday of Christmas week. +Hitherto the boys had paid little attention to this vehicle as it +daily drove modestly to the door of the kitchen. On this day it came +triumphantly into the boys' yard, amid the lusty cheers of the +generous-hearted lads. Even old "Mike," the driver, noted everywhere +in town for his delicious brogue, was an object of special interest. + +Owing to the excitement of the occasion--the boys afterward declared +this most solemnly--the driver performed the remarkable feat of making +the old gray mare, which had seen almost as many years as her driver, +canter, actually, positively _canter_, up to the classroom door where +the provisions were stored. In the after-discussion of this startling +event authentic documents were called for, and as they were not +forthcoming the cantering incident remains an historic doubt until +this day. This old gray mare was known---- + +The boys would not let the two nuns load the wagon. There were too +many strong arms and willing hands for that. At last all the boxes +were on the wagon, and old "Mike" mounted his chariot once more. This +was a slow operation, for the old man's joints were stiff and he was +no longer active. When one of the boys put the lines into his knotted +rheumatic fingers, he broke through his usual taciturnity and said: + +"You are good boys: good boys. God bless yees all." + +"Three cheers for Mike!" shouted a lively youngster in the crowd. The +signal was taken up, and it is safe to say that the old man never +received such an ovation before in all his life. + +As the leather curtain fell the cheering boys caught a last glimpse of +the faces of two smiling Sisters, jubilant over the fact that they +were carrying home an unwonted treasure for their old people. When the +wagon had driven clear of the mob of good-natured boys, Jack Beecham +ran alongside, and lifting the flap said to the Sisters: + +"Twenty of us are coming by eleven o'clock to-morrow. So you are to do +no work. We are going to set the tables and serve the old people. +Please tell the Mother-Superior that she and the Sisters are to stand +by and give the orders, and we will do the rest." + +And the feast itself! What a revelation the inside of the convent was +to these gay, careless, happy boys. The sight of so much pain and +suffering and dependence and resignation was to them a revelation +indeed. + +To Ambrose Bracebridge, who eagerly accepted the invitation to don an +apron and turn waiter for the occasion, the scene was one of absorbing +interest. It will be remembered by those who have read the second book +of the series of three which deal with the fortunes of the St. +Cuthbert's students, that at this time Ambrose was a convert to +Catholicism of about six months' standing, and consequently had seen +little or nothing of the workings of the vast fields of practical +charity within the Catholic Church. The immense Catholic charities of +almost every imaginable kind which dot the land are so familiar to +ordinary Catholics that they scarcely cause comment or notice. To +Ambrose Bracebridge all was new and wonderful. As a waiter on the old +people he did not prove a success. He did not do much serving, but spent +most of his time watching the old people feasting, and the good Sisters +looking after their comfort. + +"A penny for your thoughts," said the chaplain of the institution as +he came up to Ambrose. + +"I was thinking, Father," said Ambrose, amid the rattle of knives and +forks, "what a wonderful charity this is." + +"Yes? What impresses you most deeply?" + +"The retiring modesty of the Sisters, I think, and the wonderful way +they have of managing these old people." + +"Anything else?" + +"Yes, I am impressed with the docility and evident gratitude these old +people show toward the Sisters. How is the institution supported, +Father?" + +"By the charity of all classes. Have you not often seen the Sisters' +modest wagon on the streets? It seems to me that this one charity has +touched the tender spot in the heart of the American people. Did you +ever know a merchant, or a hotel manager, Catholic or non-Catholic, to +refuse the Sisters?" + +"Never," replied the boy. + +"Yet, after all, this is Catholic charity working in only one +direction. Did you ever realize what the Catholic Church is doing for +the State in this country? It seems to me that the State would be +simply overwhelmed if all the Catholic orphanages, asylums, hospitals, +academies, protectories, deaf-mute institutes, and, above all, the +vast system of parochial schools, which make, literally, a network of +Catholic charity over the land--if, I say, all these were closed and +the State had to do the work." + +"Some, of pessimistic view," continued the chaplain, who was evidently +quite optimistic in his own views, "are always grumbling over the fact +that many non-Catholic institutions of learning are so richly endowed, +and that Catholics of the country are doing nothing for education. I +believe there never was a greater mistake. It is true that, as yet, +there are few large Catholic endowments. They will come in time. The +money paid by Catholics in the interest of Catholic education--and, +mind you, at the same time they are paying their pro rata share of +taxes for the support of all secular institutions, including the +public schools--the money paid by Catholics, I say, throughout the +country, makes a magnificent showing when compared to the few highly +endowed secular universities." + +"Is not this a rather optimistic view, Father?" asked Bracebridge. + +"I do not think so," was the reply. "Ponder over it, and you will see +that what I say is correct." + +"Here, you lazy rascal--oh! excuse me, Father--here, Ambrose, you lazy +rascal, get some of that cranberry sauce from that table. You would +not earn your salt as a waiter, Brosie," and Roy Henning, red-faced +and excitedly busy, laughingly pushed Ambrose in the direction of the +sideboard. + +Thus the talk with the chaplain was abruptly broken off. Nevertheless, +Bracebridge had received much food for thought for future days. He +pondered to good effect, and the result was that his graduation speech +at the end of that year was on "Catholicity, a State Aid," which was +subsequently the cause of much comment. + +One event occurred during the old folks' dinner which was of great +interest to some of our friends. Roy Henning, during the latter part +of the feast, when the demand for the services of the voluntary +waiters was not so urgent, frequently passed a few words with the +chaplain who had acted as a sort of honorary general superintendent of +the banquet. + +On one of these occasions Jack Beecham happened to be passing with a +plate of fruit for the table in one direction, and Bracebridge was +carrying something in the opposite. Both were near enough to +inadvertently hear portions of what appeared to the priest to be a +very interesting revelation. Both boys heard the end of a sentence: + +"Seminary! You?" + +"Yes, Father, please God." + +"When?" + +"Next year." + +"For this diocese?" + +"No, my own." + +"Ah! I am sorry." + +Bracebridge and Beecham exchanged glances as they passed each other. +What a revelation was here for both in regard to Henning's conduct. +Did not this explain a thousand things? + +As soon as the services of the two amateur waiters could be dispensed +with, they came together in one corner of the room, and while wiping +their fingers on the aprons the thoughtful Sisters had provided for +them, they eagerly discussed their accidental discovery, but in a +rather curious fashion. + +"Please, Brosie, give me a good kick," said Jack. + +"Why?" asked his companion. + +"Just to think, numskulls that we are, that we never thought just this +about dear old Roy." + +"I do not see how we could. Roy never gave us the slightest hint." + +"No, but if we were not such ninnies--Oh! I say, Ambrose, do you think +it is true?" + +"No doubt of it. 'Seminary--next year--his own diocese' tells the tale +most conclusively for me." + +"I'm so glad! If any one of us fellows is worthy of being a priest, it +surely is Roy." + +"Amen. But why has he kept it such a secret? Now all his actions are +clear to me, although I confess I think some of them are mistaken or +ill-advised." + +"I won't admit that until I know more," remarked loyal Jack. + +"That's right, too. But knowing what we now know, we can make things +much pleasanter for Roy than they have been so far this year." + +"Yes; if only for that I am glad we were involuntary eavesdroppers." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +SOMETHING HAPPENS + + +The charitable boys returned from the Little Sisters early in the +afternoon, aglow with the warmth of their own good deeds, in time to +take a rest and an early supper, and put themselves in good condition +for the play that evening. It was the Seniors' night, and they were to +present "Richelieu" for the first time at St. Cuthbert's in years. The +last performance of that great play, ten years ago, had been a +brilliant success. The present generation of student actors were +nervously anxious to equal, and, if such a thing were possible, to +excel the reputation of the bygone players. + +To make the situation more critical, several of the old boys who had +taken part in the play at its former presentation had been invited to +witness its reproduction. Six or seven, stirred by the memories of old +times, had accepted the invitation. They were the welcome guests of +the college for Christmas week. It can, then, be well understood that +this play was to be the great event of the holidays. + +The afternoon passed quickly and already the college theater was +lighted. Already the boys had more or less noisily scrambled to secure +the best positions. Suddenly the footlights shot up, sending a thrill +of expectancy through the audience. Amid a rather unmeaning applause, +for as yet it was certainly unearned, the orchestra took their places. + +Before the curtain, much expectancy; behind it a much larger amount of +suppressed excitement. Some of the actors were busy scanning over +their lines for the last time, and with regretful haste, sorry now +that they had not taken more to heart the advice of the trainer and +committed them to memory better. Others were thronging around the busy +make-up man, getting into his way, and--as always happens--upsetting +the spirit-gum used to fasten on artificial mustaches and beards. + +Roy Henning, in the scarlet robe and white fur tippet of _Richelieu_, +nervously tugged at a blue silk ribbon which was around his neck, and +patiently waited his turn for his make-up. + +Shealey was _De Mauprat_ and looked well in a black velvet suit. +Ambrose Bracebridge had a decidedly comical appearance in a Capuchin's +brown habit and cord, with fleshlings and sandals, as the monk, +_Joseph_. Ernest Winters, who this year had been promoted to the large +yard, was to impersonate _Richelieu's_ page, _Francois_, and certainly +his brother Claude would have been proud of him could he have seen at +this moment how fine he looked in his handsome doublet and trunks. + +The play had been slightly modified to allow of its presentation by +college students. The _Julie de Mortemar_ had been for this occasion +metamorphosed in _Julius de Mortemar_, and was consequently nephew +instead of niece of the great cardinal. The adaptation of the lines +had been cleverly done, so the transposition of this character did not +greatly injure the play. + +Behind the curtain the actors could hear faintly the squeakings and +tunings of the orchestra violins. Presently the first overture began, +and the actors knew their time had come. The manager, with a +commendable horror of delays and stage waits, and knowing that +anything of that kind would ruin the very best production, had +everything arranged for the opening scene when the music ceased. + +The manager's little bell rings once, twice, and up rises the curtain +on the drinking scene in _Marion de Lorme's_ house. The great play of +the year had begun. Is it not strange that so many really good plays +open with a drinking or carousing scene? At best, there is nothing +elevating in them, and it takes the finest kind of professionalism to +make them even tolerable. The St. Cuthbert's college boys were not +professionals. The consequence was that the first scene went but +slowly. + +It was not until Henning, magnificently costumed as _Richelieu_, +entered, in the second scene, that any of the players appeared at +their ease. The round of applause which greeted his entrance with +_Joseph_ seemed to steady the actors and give them confidence. + +There now occurred a strange thing during this scene, which led to +much talk and fruitless speculation for many subsequent days. Henning +made a good entrance. He began his lines in a rich baritone: + + _Richelieu_--"And so you think this new conspiracy + The craftiest trap yet laid for the old fox?-- + Fox!--Well, I like the nickname! What did Plutarch + Say of the Greek Lysander?" + + _Joseph_--"I forget." + + _Richelieu_--"That where the lion's skin fell short he eked it + Out with the fox's. A great statesman, Joseph, + That same Lysander." + +Just as Henning had finished the rendering of the sentence, "That +where the lion's skin fell short he eked it out with the fox's," there +was heard from the far right-hand corner of the hall a loud, distinct +sound--one word. Clear and resonant, every one in the hall and the +actors on the stage heard it distinctly. As nearly as letters will +represent the sound it was "UGH!" The intonation of the one syllable +was such as to convey without doubt to the hearers that the +perpetrator regarded the words of the cardinal as practically +applicable to the actor himself. + +Many heads were momentarily turned in the direction whence the sound +had come. Henning himself gave a rapid glance to the corner of the +hall. As he did so, he saw his cousin Garrett drop his head and look +fixedly at the floor. + +Boys at a Christmas play do not usually fix their gaze on the floor. +Henning felt that, for some reason or other, his cousin had made the +interruption. For what purpose? Roy could not imagine. That it was +Garrett there was no shadow of a doubt, for the actor plainly +recognized the blue sweater his cousin wore constantly. Perhaps after +all this time, thought Roy, his cousin was now trying to "get even" +with him, as he had promised, for refusing to accompany Garrett to +that carpet dance during the summer. Roy loyally put this thought out +of his mind, but in doing this he was more mystified than ever, as it +left him without a motive which could explain the curious action. + +Fortunately for the success of the play the intended interruption, and +probably intended insult, did not sufficiently distract Henning to the +extent of spoiling the scene. There was a pause but for a moment. "A +great statesman, Joseph, that same Lysander," he repeated, and thus +recovering himself, the play went on without further interruption to a +most successful finish. + +The next day the attempted spoiling of the scene was the general +subject of conversation. Many boys were uncertain who made the +attempt. Henning did not refer to the matter when Garrett approached +him. He accepted the many congratulations without evidence of either +pleasure or displeasure, merely politely bowing. He appeared +indifferent to praise or blame from his cousin. When, however, among +his own special coterie of friends he was by no means passive. + +After breakfast the Philosophers met in their own classroom, which, as +we have before stated, was a sort of clubroom for them. Everybody +crowded around Roy. Some shook his hand vigorously, others patted him +patronizingly on the shoulders, assuring him that he was "the stuff" +without deigning to explain their use of that word; others, in their +enthusiasm, thumped him on the back, and Ernest Winters, who because +he had taken part in the play, had been allowed to come up to the +classroom, presented him, amid the profoundest salaams, with a bouquet +of paper flowers surrounded by cabbage leaves which he had purloined +from the kitchen. + +"Ye done rale good, an' this is fer yees," said the young rascal. + +"He did that," said Jack Beecham, and turning to Roy he continued: "If +I knew who it was who tried to rattle you, I would----" + +"What?" asked Roy. + +"I would--would punch his head!" replied Jack, and manner, look, and +gesture showed how pugilistic were his inclinations at that moment. + +"Who was it, Roy?" he continued, "I wasn't on the stage just at that +time, you know." + +"I do not know," replied Henning slowly. + +"Mental reservation," said Bracebridge laughing. + +"I do not know," repeated Roy, and his friends could get no more out +of him. + +"By the way," said George McLeod, "are you going to finish taking the +subscriptions for the pitcher's cage to-day, Roy?" + +"Yes," answered Roy. "The boys seem to have plenty of money now, and +we want only about twenty-six dollars more." + +"That's splendid," said George, "we must have that cage ready by the +time classes begin again after the Christmas holidays." + +"That reminds me," said Henning, aside to Ambrose Bracebridge, "that I +forgot to take that money out of the table-drawer and place it with +the treasurer. I intended to do it every day for several days past, +but every time I put more money in I forget all about it." + +A shade of vexation passed over Bracebridge's bright features. He +said: + +"I am sorry you forgot. It would be much safer with the treasurer of +the college. But I suppose it's all right, anyway." + +"I have seven dollars in my pocket now belonging to the fund. Let us +go over to the playroom, boys, and I will unlock the drawer and take +the money to the treasurer for safe-keeping." + +The group of boys left the classroom and went diagonally across the +yard to the playroom, which was situated under a large study-hall, and +was a half-basement room. + +There were about two dozen boys in the playroom when our friends +entered it. As Roy passed up the long room, first one and then another +complimented the _Richelieu_ of the previous evening on his fine +acting. Roy's cheeks flushed with pleasure. There was some of that +semiconscious gentleness of perfect success about him. He was +experiencing some of the pleasantest moments he had ever spent at St. +Cuthbert's. + +Jack Beecham took the key from Roy and unlocked the door of the +sports-committee room. The group that had recently left the classroom +entered, those in the playroom paying little attention to them. Boys +were accustomed to see various groups enter the small room for the +purpose of discussing various sporting events and conditions of the +college games. + +"How much have you collected, Roy?" asked Tom Shealey. + +"About seventy-two dollars--seventy-nine with this in my pocket. Wait; +we'll see in a minute." + +He felt in his pocket for a small bunch of keys, but could not find +them. + +"There! I have left my keys in my desk. Wait a moment, boys, and I'll +be back," and he started for the classroom. + +"What a dastardly thing that attempt last night was," said one of the +company. + +"I guess Roy knows who it was well enough," remarked Tom Shealey, "but +cousin or no cousin, if he did such a thing to me, I would have to get +a very satisfactory explanation, or by the nine gods he would pay +dearly for it." + +"But Henning is too generous to take any further notice of it," said a +boy named White, "but I wonder whether Mr. Shalford will move in the +matter at all." + +"Haven't the least idea," said Shealey. "I do not see what he could do +exactly. It seems to me it were better to let the matter drop, and I +am sure that is Roy's wish too. Treat it with the silent contempt it +deserves." + +Which speech shows that Shealey was not always consistent. + +Ambrose agreed with him, although at the time he was furiously angry. +As _Joseph_ in the play he was close to Richelieu, and beneath the +disguising grease-paint on Henning's face he saw the hot flushes of +passion rise, for a moment. Ambrose thought that Roy was going to +address the interrupter, but he saw him check himself in time to save +a scene that would indeed have been memorable. + +"Go on, Roy," Ambrose had whispered. "A great statesman, Joseph, that +same Lysander." + +Henning took the cue from Ambrose, and although trembling with +suppressed indignation his friend knew the play was saved. + +"Where on earth is that Roy all this time?" asked Beecham. + +Just at that moment that young man reappeared, red, and out of breath. + +"Oh! I say, fellows, forgive me for keeping you waiting so long, but +Mr. Shalford caught me in the yard, and--and, really, he was very +complimentary." + +"Is he going to find out who attempted the interruption last night?" +asked young McLeod. + +"Not if I can help it, George," replied Roy. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +WHO? + + +"Have you your keys, Roy?" asked Bracebridge. + +"Yes, here they are." + +Henning moved to the end of the table where the drawer was, and picked +out the key which was to unlock the table drawer. + +By this time all were engaged in a general discussion as to the kind +of pitcher's cage which should be procured. + +"I can not make up my mind," said Roy, as he inserted the key into the +lock, "whether to recommend the committee to get a wire backstop, or a +canvas one." He had now opened the drawer and was feeling mechanically +for his subscription book. + +"I think a canvas one will be better because it will not be so hard on +the balls, and be less noisy, too. Why! where is my book--Ah! here it +is." + +He drew out from the drawer the book containing the list of donors. In +the back of the book Henning had made a rough sketch of what he +supposed was wanted as a pitcher's cage. He showed it to the boys. + +"Who's the artist?" asked Jack. + +"Your humble servant," replied Roy. + +"H'm! Perspective all out. It looks two miles long. I guess the +grease-paint man of last night could do better than that." + +"That's what you say, Jack," answered Roy good-naturedly; "I would +like to see you do as well, anyway." + +Jack Beecham was not in earnest. Henning had caught him winking to the +others while decrying his work. + +"Well," continued Roy, as he put his hand again into the drawer, "I +would not ask Mr. John Beauchamps--to draw--for me--a--a barn +door--Great heavens! Where's that money! I can't feel it anywhere in +the drawer!" + +All this time Henning's forearm was in the drawer and his fingers were +nervously searching for the bag. + +"Give yourself more room. Open the drawer wider, you goose," said +Beecham. + +Henning pushed back his chair so suddenly that it fell. He pulled out +the drawer to its full length. Then taking out the contents of the +drawer he put them excitedly on the table. There was a large leather +blotter, with pouches, a pad of athletic club letterheads, a lot of +spoiled half sheets of foolscap, about a quire of clean paper, and a +few small miscellaneous articles. + +"Did you have the money in a purse?" asked Bracebridge, who could not +keep his anxiety out of his voice. + +"No; it was in one if those yellow bank canvas bags." + +"Look again through the pile of papers and be sure it is not there." + +They all searched. The money was gone. + +Those who saw Henning at that moment pitied him from the bottom of +their hearts. For a few seconds he stood as one dazed. When he +realized the force of the catastrophe which had happened to him he +turned ghastly pale. His lips became livid. Around them were distinct +white lines. + +For a moment the six boys stood in perfect silence. Ambrose +Bracebridge seemed afraid to look at his friend. + +Henning stood as one dazed, not at present seeming to realize all of +the untoward thing that had happened to him. It seemed to him as if he +were under water and could not breathe. He panted for breath. A moment +or two later a reaction set in and the blood rushed to his head, +making his sight waver and his temples throb, and reddening his face +to crimson. He felt as if he were falling forward, yet he remained +motionless. + +"Fetch Mr. Shalford, Ernest, but tell him nothing. Say we want him at +once," whispered Bracebridge to young Winters. The boy slipped out +noiselessly and it is doubtful if any one except the last speaker +noticed or knew of his departure. In half a minute Mr. Shalford came +in. As he pushed the door open he saw the standing group, and began to +laugh. + +"High tragics, eh? Are you all posing for a tableau? Where's the +camera? What! What on earth is the matter with you boys? Speak some of +you; what has happened?" + +They certainly did look a lot of frightened boys. Suddenly Roy +regained the power of speech. With a full realization of his own +predicament he threw up his hands in a despairing attitude. + +"Oh, oh, oh! I shall be branded as a thief!" + +Then he dropped on his knees and buried his face in his arms on the +table. + +"That's quite dramat----" again began Mr. Shalford, but suddenly +checked himself. He now saw there was something woefully wrong. + +A moment before Roy Henning had a strong inclination to burst out +laughing at his ridiculous position, but his self-control was too +great to permit him to give way to the nervous hilarity of misfortune. +Just as Mr. Shalford entered the room the thought flashed across his +mind of the consequences at home for him. What would his stern father +say! Then a momentary thought of his mother's grief--and he gave way. + +Who can blame him? Roy was as yet only a boy, after all. At present he +lacked the stability and poise of later years. Fifteen or twenty years +later he would have borne the crash of a financial misfortune with a +certain kind of equanimity. But he was young yet, living in boy-world, +with all a boy's thoughts and feelings. And he wept. Do not blame him. +It is more than probable that under the same circumstances you and I, +and a hundred others, if we ever had a spark of boy nature, or boy +feeling about us, would have done the same, and not thought it +derogatory either. + +Mr. Shalford, putting his hand on Roy's shoulder in a kindly way, +said: + +"What is wrong, Roy? What has happened? Your friends do not want to +see you in this way." + +The poor boy raised his head from his arm. + +"It's gone. The money's gone. My character is ruined!" + +"That is not so, my boy. Be sensible. No one in his senses will ever +accuse you. How much was taken?" + +"All, sir, except seven dollars in my pocket." + +"But how much?" + +"Seventy-two dollars." + +"Dear me! dear me! Seventy-two dollars! Why did you keep so large a +sum in a place like this, Roy?" + +"If I had a particle of common-sense I would have taken Bracebridge's +advice long ago. He recommended putting it away safely two weeks ago, +but I forgot to do it. What a fool I was--fool! fool!" + +"Don't say that, my boy. Come, cheer up. There is not a shadow of +moral wrong for you in the whole affair. It's a misfortune for you, +truly. You can bear that bravely. We may catch the thief yet." + +"Yes; but, sir, I shall be suspected. Many fellows will point the +finger at me. Oh!--oh! I think I had better go home and give up all my +plans." + +Give up all his plans! In the bitterness of his heart he thought that +all was ruined, that the secret hopes of a vocation were now +irretrievably lost, character gone, opportunities wasted. Well, Roy +Henning was not the first and will not be the last of those who, when +sudden misfortune comes, grow exceedingly pessimistic and want to give +up. This was the first great grief of Roy's life. All the petty +annoyances he had suffered from Garrett and his undesirable clique +sank into insignificance in the face of this overwhelming calamity. +Oh, why had he not followed Bracebridge's advice, and, days ago, put +the money out of his own keeping! + +"Yes," he said again, "I think I had better leave----" + +"No, no, no, no, Roy!" came the chorus from his friends. + +"If you do so, now, Roy," said Mr. Shalford, who motioned silence to +the others, "you make the mistake of your life. You give your +enemies--I mean those ill-disposed toward you, if there are any--a +free field, and unlimited opportunities to vilify you. You can not, +you must not go." + +"But I must." + +"No, no, you must not, Roy." + +"But I must, sir. Oh, I can't stand it!" + +"Well, if you must, think over your friends' sorrow at such a +course." + +"Sir?" asked the bewildered boy, not at all understanding. + +"I say, think of our sorrow, your friend's sorrow at such a step. And, +Roy, think of your mother's sorrow! A son with a blighted name! Don't +you see that by running away now you make a tacit confession of some +guilt? No, you must not go!" + +Long ago Mr. Shalford had surmised what were Henning's intentions and +aspirations for a future career. He saw this affair would be an +occasion of trying the very soul of the boy before him, and that it +would either make or break him. He thought, and correctly, that he +knew the character of the youth now in such deep trouble, and he was +anxious that he should make no false step. He looked Roy straight in +the eye, and said seriously: + +"Definitely, you must not go," and then, as calmly as he had spoken +before, he made use of a somewhat enigmatic expression: "Eagles live +on mountain heights where storms are strongest." + +A quick glance from Henning told the prefect that the boy understood +him, and the saying also told the boy that the prefect had divined his +intention accurately. Mr. Shalford had thought the words and the +glance would be understood by himself and Henning only. In this he was +mistaken. Two boys, who had overheard Roy's words to the chaplain at +the Little Sisters, understood perfectly. + +"Very well, sir. I stay," said Roy. + +"That is right; that is sensible," said Mr. Shalford, but in a moment +Henning burst out, with an agony in his voice that was piteous: + +"Oh, the shame of being suspected! What shall I do! What shall I do!" + +"Let me think what is best to do," said Mr. Shalford, who walked up +and down the room once or twice. He realized that it was a critical +moment in Henning's life, and he wanted to gain a little time. He +decided that it was wisest to get Henning away from the scene of his +misfortune at least for a few hours. + +"What you will do now is this, all of you. You--Henning, Bracebridge, +Beecham, and Shealey, will go out at once for a long tramp, buy your +dinners somewhere, and do not come home till dark. Have you plenty of +money?" + +"Yes, sir; yes, sir, lots of it," answered the delighted three who +were not in trouble. + +"I don't think----" began the despondent Henning. + +"That's right; just now do not think," said the energetic prefect. "It +will do no good. Walk and talk instead. Come home tired out, all of +you." + +Three out of the group were enthusiastic over the plan. But there were +two other very long faces just then. George McLeod and Ernest Winters +were not included in the generous proposal. + +"I say, Mr. Shalford, may not the kids come, too?" asked Tom Shealey. + +"The kids! Whom do you mean?" and the prefect turned and saw two very +disconsolate faces. He thought for a moment. + +"Let--me--see. Records clear, Ernest? George?" + +"Yes, sir," answered the two, their hopes rising. + +"How were your notes in the Christmas competitions?" + +"Pretty good, sir, eighty-two," answered Ernest. + +"Fine, sir, mine were eighty-nine," answered McLeod for himself. + +In the meantime Mr. Shalford had caught Henning's eye. By a slight +raising of his eyelids he wordlessly inquired if the company of these +smaller boys would be acceptable. Roy answered by an almost +imperceptible affirmative movement of the head. + +"Very well, then," the prefect said, "I suppose you both may go, too, +but it's only another weakness on my part, letting small boys out all +day. You big boys must take care of them." + +"Whoop!" shouted Ernest vociferously, and even the disconsolate +Henning smiled at Ernest's resemblance in voice and manner to Claude, +his brother, especially under stress of any pleasurable excitement. + +"Of course I will set about investigating this money matter at once," +resumed Mr. Shalford, "and you six here had better keep the whole +matter a secret, at least for a time." + +This injunction was useless. The prefect, this time, had reckoned +without his host. At his own exclamation of surprise at the discovery +of the theft, several boys who were in the large playroom, crowded +around the door, unobserved by the prefect, whose back was toward +them. Already the fact was known in the yard to some extent. Already +had little excited groups begun to discuss the startling event. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +A DAY'S ADVENTURE + + +Mr. Shalford at once told the President of the theft, and what he had +arranged for Henning. The head of the college agreed with the prefect +in thinking that a day's outing for Roy would be the best distraction +he could get. A change of scenery and of faces would be beneficial, +and prevent the unfortunate boy's mind from dwelling too morbidly on +his misfortune while the event was still fresh. + +"Why, why, why! What's this? Boys out of bounds? Where are you going? +Dear me, dear me!" + +The President, with a merry twinkle in his eyes, shook his gray locks, +and a long finger, at the six boys whom he purposely met on the +snow-covered lawn in front of the college. + +"Where are you going?" he asked again. + +"We hardly know yet, Father," said Jack Beecham. "We have only a few +minutes ago obtained permission from Mr. Shalford for a day off." + +"A day off! and what do you expect to do with it?" + +"Take a good tramp, buy our dinners at a farmhouse, and have a good +time, Father." + +"H--hm! Have a good time, eh? Well, that's right. You can all be +trusted. Hope you will enjoy yourselves. Wait. Where are your skates? +If I were you I would take them with me. In your journeying you may +come across a frozen pond, and then you would regret being without +them." + +"That's a good idea, Father. We will go back and get them," said Jack. + +"Do, and meet me here before you start." + +The boys turned back into the yard, and the President went to his +office. A few minutes later he met the boys. He was carrying a good +sized parcel. + +"Were you not some of the charitable boys who, out of their abundance, +provided the old folks with a feast yesterday?" + +Not one of those engaged in that enterprise answered, but Ernest +Winters said: + +"Yes, Father, these four big fellows were some of them and I think +they are all a set of mean fellows." + +The four, and the President, too, looked surprised. + +"Why do you think that, my child?" he asked. + +"Because they didn't give any of us smaller boys a chance to give +anything toward the feast." + +The four big "mean" fellows burst into a laugh. + +"Never mind, Ernie, this time," said Jack Beecham, "we had too much +anyway. You shall have a chance for the next spread." + +The President smiled at Ernest's vehemence, and at the nature of his +charge. + +"On your way," he said to Henning, "I want you to call at the Little +Sisters and give them this package. I learned last night that although +your dinner there was a great success yesterday, still there are many +poor creatures, both men and women, who are in the infirmaries and +could not attend. Here are a couple of boxes of cigars for these old +men, and two boxes of candy for the old women." + +The boys were delighted to be given such a mission. A bright smile of +welcome spread over the features of the Sister who answered the door, +when she saw these college boys again. + +"Come into the parlor, young gentlemen, and I will call Mother." + +The Superioress soon came. She was profuse in her thanks for what the +students had done that week for her charges. + +"May God bless you all," she said. "Our old people, since yesterday's +dinner, have done nothing but talk about the kindness of the young +gentlemen in remembering them. Many extravagantly funny, and some +really comical things were said in your praise," and the nun's eyes +twinkled and a smile stole around the corners of her mouth at the +remembrance of many a quaint bit of Irish humor from the old men. + +"Oh, tell us some of the things, Mother," said the impetuous young +Winters. + +"I am unable to reproduce any of it. I should only spoil it if I were +to attempt it. You must come and hear them yourselves some day." + +Henning then told her their mission. + +"Please convey my thanks to the President. All of you must visit the +infirmaries and distribute the gifts." + +Whether this is what the President intended--we are inclined to think +it is--that visit was the very best thing that could have happened to +Henning in his present frame of mind. There is nothing like witnessing +the sorrow and misery of others to make us think less of our own. For +the first time in his life Henning was face to face and in close touch +with pain and suffering and disease and all the calamities of +impoverished old age. What was a misfortune like his to that of being +doubled and rendered helpless by rheumatism? Here one was totally +blind, but marvelously patient. There another whose distorted hands +rendered her powerless to help herself. Another had to be lifted and +tended and fed as a little child in the helplessness of old age and +years of sickness. Yet all, under the fostering charity of the nuns, +were clean, docile, grateful, and as cheerful as their condition would +permit. Yes, the visit was very beneficial to Henning. + +It is true that Roy's greatest distress was, after all, in the +anticipation of what was to come. He knew there were many who were by +no means kindly disposed toward him. Would these set afloat rumors and +reports? Would they attempt to blacken his character? He greatly +feared they would. + +The chagrin caused by having lost the money entrusted to him through +want of a little prudential forethought, or through mere forgetfulness +of what he had the intention of doing, was bad enough. The imputations +and the innuendos he dreaded far more. He realized that life could be +made very bitter for him. But after all, what was all he might have to +suffer, even granting the gloomiest view of the future to be the +actual one, in comparison to the chronic and hopeless pains of these +poor people in the Sisters' infirmaries? + +He left the convent in a much more cheerful frame of mind than he had +experienced since the discovery of the theft. His companions gladly +saw the change. They did their utmost during the long tramp over the +hills, by quip and prank and song and jest, to make the time pass +pleasantly. + +It was a splendid day for a winter's walk. It is true there was no +sun, but neither was there a breath of cold air stirring. There was an +even gray sky, a motionless atmosphere, and just sufficient snow to +accentuate the beauties of a winter landscape, but not enough to +envelop everything in an indiscriminating white pall. It was an ideal +winter day in which to be outdoors. + +The fresh snow that had fallen during the night and early morning +remained on the trees, loading down every branch and twig. The +well-known bridle-path through the woods, along which the boys passed +merrily, had a double carpet, the upper one of snow, and beneath that +a spreading of dry autumn leaves. + +The great charm of a windless snow-covered forest is the absolute +silence that prevails. Nothing was heard by the travelers save the +distant occasional bark of a shepherd-dog, or a far-off train whistle, +sounding like a dismal appeal for help, and subconsciously regarded by +the hearers as an irreverent intrusion upon the silence of the +solitude. Once in a while from an overweighted bough the soft snow +would fall, but with a muffled sound as if fearful of breaking +nature's sabbath calm. + +As the boys traveled merrily on, here and there they saw the "vestigia" +of birds or rabbits, and once they discovered what they supposed to be +deer tracks in the snow. Descending to a pretty hollow they saw a scene +which delighted them immensely. In the bottom of the hollow, which in +the summer time was a beautiful glade in the forest, there was standing +out alone with a clear space around it, a magnificent snow-laden spruce +tree. Each graceful downward curve of the limbs sustained its load of +pure white snow. The symmetry of the forest king was unmarred, but +appeared glorified by its covering of whiteness. + +The six were enraptured. They gazed long at the beautiful sight and +would have delayed much longer had not Jack Beecham, who had assumed +a temporary leadership of the excursion, warned them of the unwisdom +of staying too long in one place. + +A little farther along they saw an ideal winter scene. A large, +comfortable farmhouse, with all the sheds and barns of a well-kept +farm, lay at their feet under a mantle of white. From the broad +chimney arose a straight column of blue smoke, telling of warmth +within. In the barnyard were several head of comfortable-looking sheep +and fat cattle were contentedly ruminating in the shelter of a huge +straw stack. One of the inmates of this cosy looking farmhouse had, +probably unconsciously, added the last touch to complete the artistic +effect of this scene of gray and white. In the door yard on a +clothesline were three or four brilliantly red woolen shirts which +heightened by contrast the more somber colors of the scene. + +"That's our Mecca if the fates be propitious," said Tom Shealey, as +the boys were viewing the scene here described from an elevated point +at least a mile away. + +"It is a comfortable looking house and doubtless has a well-stocked +larder. I wonder if the Dowsibel of the Kitchen could be induced to +turn a spit for us." + +"'Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished," observed Beecham, "for +already I believe I could eat a couple of sheep and a Michaelmas +goose." + +The boys had already walked a good seven miles. All were beginning to +feel tired and to realize the necessity of a good meal. + +"Suppose we can not be entertained there?" suggested Ernest Winters. + +"Then we shall have to tramp on till we find a place where we can +be--perhaps ten miles more," said Roy Henning teasingly. + +"O--oh!" groaned Ernest. Roy laughed. + +"Well, do not despair, little one. Nine miles from here I know of a +wayside hostelry where we may perhaps get some year old crackers and +eggs, with an apology for coffee, and have the privilege of paying +Delmonico prices." + +"Oh, oh! Nine miles--oh! Sixteen miles and crackers! Oh!" groaned +Winters again. All burst out laughing at the comical look of despair +Ernest's face had assumed. + +"Look here, Ernie," said Roy again, "if it comes to the worst we can +eat our shoes and our skate straps, and our gloves for dessert." + +During their chatter they had continued their walk down the hillside +toward the comfortable-looking farm. When about half way down the road +they saw a jolly looking, red-faced man--in the clear atmosphere they +could easily distinguish his red face--come out of the farmhouse, take +his stand on the stoop or veranda, shade his eyes with his hand, and +look a long time at the approaching boys. + +"We shall know our fate in a few minutes," said Jack Beecham in a +tragic whisper to Ernest. "If we are not welcome he will set his +savage dogs on us as soon as we get near enough, and then we shall be +hungry orphans out in the cold world, sure enough." + +But no such catastrophe occurred. After gazing a few minutes the man +went into the house and closed the door. The boys opened the yard gate +with trepidation, fearful of the onslaught of some vicious watchdog, +and more afraid than they would have been owing to the rascal Jack's +ominous forecast of the possibilities. To their great relief no canine +enemy appeared. + +All they saw pleased them. There was an air of prosperous, generous +plenty everywhere. The hay-mows were bursting with sweet-smelling hay. +The wheat barn was congested with unthreshed grain. The cows, pigs, +and sheep were fat, and evidently well cared for. Repose was +everywhere. In such a place as this, thought Roy, life must be well +worth the living. + +"Cave canem," whispered Bracebridge, as he espied the watchdog lying +on the porch of the house. This old Roman warning, "Beware of the dog" +was, on this occasion, unnecessary, for when the animal saw the +visitors he merely wagged his tail and did not take the trouble to +stir. He seemed too fat and too contented with life to care about +molesting a mere parcel of college boys, and his instinct told him +they did not belong to the genus tramp. + +As they reached the porch of the house the good-natured looking man +who had watched them coming down the hillside opened the door. The +boys noticed that he had put on his coat to welcome them. While making +his observations he had been in his shirt-sleeves. + +"Welcome, young gentlemen. Come right in by the fire," was his hearty +greeting. "Mother, Mother! Here are some young gentlemen from +Cuthberton," he called to some one in the large living-room. + +A kind, motherly woman appeared in the doorway. She was clad in a warm +homemade linsey dress, with a white handkerchief over her shoulders, +and white muslin cuffs to match. A black lace coif surmounted her +snow-white hair. The boys saw a very smiling, kindly face in the +doorway greeting them. + +"Welcome, welcome, my dears. You are welcome. But, please, scrape the +snow off your shoes before you come in. I am very particular about +that, am I not, Roland?" and she glanced affectionately at the big +man beside her. + +"Yes, yes, indeed she is," he remarked humorously. "Would you believe +it, gentlemen, she leads me an awful life about my dirty +boots--awful--awful!" + +"Roland," said the elderly lady, "how you do talk!" + +The husband gave a sly, comical wink to the boys, who immediately +understood the nature of the amicable bantering which they soon found +was going on constantly between these two. + +"Take off your overcoats, my dears, and come up to the fire. You must +be cold. There's no wind, but it's near zero. And did ye walk all the +way, from St. Cuthbert's College? You must all be tired." + +She saw at once they were college boys. + +"Did ye now! Well now! well! well! My! but that's a long way to walk. +Roland, go ye and get another hickory back log, and start a good +blaze. Now sit ye there and warm yourselves. I'll be back in a minute +or two," and the kindly woman put down her knitting and bustled out of +the room. + +"This is fine!" said Tom Shealey. "We are in luck for sure." + +"I wonder where she has gone," ventured Ernest Winters, in a whisper. + +"Gone? Um! um! don't you know, youngster?" said Jack Beecham, with a +shrug, and a stage whisper. He was a terrible tease. "Better keep your +eyes on your skates and overcoat, Ernest. Of course she has gone to +gather all the hired men on the farm who will soon be here to drive us +off the premises. The ogre of this castle won't stand for any such +invasion as ours. You can see it in her eye." + +But Ernest was not to be caught a second time. + +"You can't fool me this time, mister. I think--but hush! here she +comes." + +She came. With her came two of her maids bearing with them +eatables--sweet homemade bread, apparently created to make a hungry +schoolboy's mouth water, delicious pats of golden butter, red cheese, +and an enormous pitcher of new milk--what a lunch for hungry boys! + +"I am very glad you came," again remarked the dear old lady. "To-day I +give the farmhands and the dairy maids a sort of Christmas week feast. +It is a holiday in this house to-day. We don't have dinner to-day +until after two o'clock, and as that is late and you must be hungry +with your long walk already--my! it's nigh onto eight miles to the +big school, isn't it--you had just better take a snack before +dinner-time. Come, sit up to the table, my dears; that is if you are +warmed enough." + +The young fellows did not need a second invitation. Hunger is a good +sauce. Growing boys are always hungry and the sweet, wholesome +farmhouse fare was extremely enticing. Such butter! No oleomargarine +there. Were it not, as mentioned before, that boys have a perpetual +appetite, I am afraid that the amount of bread, cheese, butter, and +milk disposed of would have seriously interfered with the enjoyment of +the forthcoming dinner. At all events it wanted considerably over two +hours to dinner-time. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +AN AFTERNOON'S FUN + + +If the writer of these veracious chronicles knows anything about +boys--and he has been accused of having that knowledge--he is sure +that his boy readers, and his girl readers, too, for that matter, will +expect an account of that famous farmhouse dinner. Well, we can not +delay the story by merely describing what people eat; yet it was a +gorgeous feast for our friends. The enjoyment was greatly enhanced by +the complete unexpectedness of it all. Not the least part of this +enjoyment was the hearty, extraordinary welcome given to a troop of +boys who had never been to the house before and were entire strangers +to the good people who entertained them so royally. + +A few minutes after two o'clock the farmer took from a shelf in the +common living-room a large seashell and went to the porch and sounded +it lustily, much to the astonishment of George McLeod, who had never +seen a shell put to such a use before. + +"How did you do it?" he asked. + +"Just blew into it. Try it yourself," said the farmer. McLeod tried +and tried again, but could not produce a sound. + +"What is it for?" he inquired. + +"To call the hands to dinner. We have no bells or whistles out here in +the country, so we use a horn, or a big shell, which is the next best +thing, and I believe it sounds farther. On a still day I have heard +this shell five miles away." + +"Come, boys; wash for dinner," called the motherly housekeeper. They +were not allowed in the kitchen while the maids were dishing the +dinner. They were taken to a side porch and there shown a rain-barrel +and several tin pans and soap. A large round towel hung on a nail +close by. The boys enjoyed this primitive method of performing their +ablutions. + +The dinner was a surprise even to those boys who were not unused to +occasional big dinners at home. George McLeod said that never in his +life had he seen so large a turkey, but it was found none too large +after it had passed the guests and traveled to the end of the table. +And the stuffed ham! And the mince pies, and tarts, and rosy apples +and nuts, and that old-fashioned plum-pudding! Well, we must stop: it +is not fair. + +There were two wings in the rear of the house which the boys had not +noticed when descending the hill in front of the dwelling. To one of +these all the maids of the large household retired after dinner, and +the farmhands went to the other, where they spent the rest of the +afternoon in smoking and enjoyment until it was time to feed and water +the stock, milk the cows, and do the other necessary daily farm +chores. + +Roy Henning and his companions, after the dinner, were invited to sit +around the blazing yule log. The old lady sat in the center of the +group in an old-fashioned armchair whose back reached some twelve +inches above her head, and which had large, broad, comfortable arms. +It was well padded and comfortable, and was covered with a serviceable +chintz of a soft green color. She sat in the midst of her guests, +before the blazing logs, a very picture of content and matronly +dignity. Her husband sat next to her, and their guests were arranged +on either side. + +With fine tact she drew out each boy and made him appear at his best. +Although, owing to the generous welcome given them, all reserve and +bashfulness had vanished long before the dinner, yet the coziness of a +winter afternoon indoors made them chatty and even confidential. They +told her of the play the night before and of its success. They found +interested listeners in host and hostess. + +"I should so like to have been there," said the old lady. "I am so +fond of good dramatic productions. Providing the tone is correct there +is no more elevating form of amusement than the drama." + +"Hold on there, mother," said the husband, "grand opera is finer. In +that we get all that dramatic presentation gives, with the addition of +excellent music." + +"You know, my dears," said Mrs. Thorncroft, for that was the old +lady's name, "my husband is an enthusiast in matters musical." + +"So is Ernie Winters," said his friend George McLeod. + +"Is that so?" said Mr. Thorncroft, enthusiastically. "Is that so? +Well, well! Now I wonder, mother, whether these young gentlemen could +not sing some songs for us. Wouldn't that be fine, eh?" + +"Jack Beecham can sing, ma'am," said George again. + +"Oh! you keep quiet, youngster," said Jack. + +"I won't. He sings first rate, sir." + +"Capital! Anybody else?" + +"Yes," said Beecham, "George McLeod there, who is so fond of getting +other people into difficulty, can sing, too." + +McLeod shook his fist at Jack. But it was well known that he had a +good voice. + +Then, to the infinite delight of the musical farmer, songs and glees +and madrigals and rounds were sung. It was an impromptu concert, but +of no mean order, for the lads were well trained and had a good stock +of songs. They wished, properly, to make a return in some way for the +kindly treatment they had received and were still receiving. "Holy +Night" was given, and "Good King Wenceslaus," and "God Rest You, Merry +Gentlemen," "Angels We Have Seen and Heard," and many others. Then +followed the college songs, and the concert was closed with the old +favorite of St. Cuthbert's, the "O Sanctissima." + +When the singing had ceased there was a momentary silence, during which +the six boys exchanged signals and glances. Suddenly there were two very +startled people in the company around the ingle nook. The old lady half +arose from her chair in consternation and amazement. Her husband stared +in wonder when he heard such a vociferous and unexpected sound. Had the +boys gone crazy? Certainly the old people, kind and hospitable as they +were, for at least one minute thought so. Such an unearthly noise! It +resembled nothing so much as a wild Indian warcry. + +After all it was only the college yell. + +In the school-days of Mr. and Mrs. Thorncroft no such thing had ever +been dreamed of. Living now in seclusion out in the country amid plenty +and a certain rustic refinement, this elderly couple had never heard +that modern accomplishment of a college man--the yell. It may be +exhilarating to the college man; its use may be within the modern bounds +of propriety, and it may, among the coteries of the more advanced, be +considered the correct thing; but it is certain that the old lady, who +had been educated in a French convent in her youth, hearing the yell +for the first time did not think so. Her unformulated idea, judging from +her looks, was that it was an indication of atavism--a going back, in +one particular--to man's former state of savagery. + +The boys were amused at her surprise. She then saw that it was something +done for her entertainment. They evidently thought it was something very +fine. These lads lacked, just now, what one may call perspective. They +lacked the proper appreciation of the correctness, or fitness, of +things. They knew the college yell was the most enthusing thing on earth +to them when used on the campus in a grand rush to victory, but they did +not think, or realize, that the same yell given in a small room might be +startling and even offensive to an elderly lady. + +"You must excuse me now, boys, for a little while," said the farmer. +"I must go and look after my men. I will be back soon. Mother"--he +always called his wife by that name--"are all the walnuts gone?" + +"No. Dear me! I never thought about them. I will get some." + +She returned with a large dish of walnut and hickory nuts. In lieu of +the usual table nut-crackers she brought a flat stone and two hammers. +While the boys were busy cracking and eating nuts she said: + +"You do not know, my children, what an unexpected pleasure your visit +has been to me. Would you like to know the reason? Very well, I will +tell you," she seated herself comfortably again in her green +chintz-covered chair. + +"I love boys because somewhere in the world there are wandering two of +my own dear children. Both left home when they were about the age of you +four big boys, and I love to remember them as such even now. They were +fine lads, with rosy healthy cheeks, and they were good. You lads with +your bright eyes and clear skins, and good pure faces make me see my own +two darlings once again. Do I long to see them? Ah, yes. Oh, how much, +how much!--once again before I die. But I am not grieving about them. +No. Every night I commend them to the keeping of our blessed Mother, and +I feel that wherever they may be a mother's prayers for them must be +heard. I am sure that Our Lady is taking care of them." + +"Why did they leave home?" asked Henning sympathetically. + +"Ah! the wanderlust. The desire to see the world. But you boys must +come and see me again and I will tell you the story. There is no time +now, as I see my husband coming from the cattle-shed." + +"Mother!" said the cheery voice of Roland Thorncroft a moment later, +as he opened the door, "would not these young gentlemen like a good +skate on the meadow pond? It has been swept by the wind, and is +capital ice." + +Jack Beecham looked at his watch. It was already four o'clock. + +"We are thankful," he said, "but I am afraid we must do without that +pleasure. It is quite time we started for home." + +Husband looked at wife. She nodded, and then he nodded. Something was +settled between them. + +"Don't you like skating, boys? I thought you did, seeing each had a +pair of skates along." + +"Very much, sir," said Tom Shealey, "but we must be starting now." + +"Come along, then. Bring your skates. There is no wind and it is not +nearly as cold as it was this morning. You will not want your +top-coats." + +The boys looked puzzled. The host saw the look of mystification on +their faces. He burst into a merry laugh. + +"You simple children!" he said, as soon as he could. "Do you think +that after being our guests all day, and singing for us as you have +done, we are going to let you walk home! No, no. You just get your +skates and come along with me. I'll show you the finest piece of ice +in the country. You can skate there for an hour or an hour and a half. +By that time coffee will be ready, eh, mammy? And a bobsleigh. We are +going to have just the finest, most musical sleighride this evening +you ever saw, or heard. You had better come along, mother, too." + +"Really, I have half a mind to." + +"Do, do, do, Mrs. Thorncroft; do, do!" chorused the boys. + +"I will see by the time you return for supper." + +When the time came for starting, however, she decided to stay at home. +She had prepared a lunch for the journey, for there was no time now +for a formal supper. After each boy had taken a bowl of steaming +coffee, she bade them adieu. Such handshakings! Such good-byes! The +jolly lads subdued their merriment momentarily when she kissed each +one a farewell on the brow. It was a beautiful moment in each one's +life and was never forgotten by any of them. + +They had a glorious ride in the moonlight and the frost. And so it +happened that six merry boys came joyously into the college yard at +about seven o'clock, happy, tired, excited, and chattering like +magpies about the unexpected good time they had enjoyed. + +"I am glad the plan worked," said Mr. Shalford to himself. The boys +never learned that the dinner at Thorncroft's was a prearranged +affair. As soon as he had decided to send Henning and his companions +out for a day's change, the prefect had told one of the farmhands to +get a fast horse and arrange with the Thorncrofts for the boys' +entertainment. He had suggested to Tom Shealey and Jack Beecham the +best route to take without arousing their suspicions, and everything +had happened just as he had planned. Some men are positively ingenious +in their charity. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +REPORTS + + +Perhaps it was not the wisest course to have pursued, after all, on +the part of the prefect, to have allowed all the boys who were present +at the discovery of the theft to be absent for the whole day. Twelve +hours was ample time for a number of rumors to be born, grow strong, +and become, in the minds of some, established facts. There were, +unfortunately, all too many willing to believe, not maliciously but +thoughtlessly, the wildest and most absurd report. A few were anxious +to find something more than a mere misfortune in that which had +befallen the treasurer. These did not hesitate to sit in judgment on +their fellows, to discuss and impute intentions which with knowledge +any less than omniscient they could not possibly possess. + +Almost as soon as the discovery had been made, the news spread like +wildfire through the yard. Excited boys gathered in groups and +discussed the situation. It was certainly the biggest sensation St. +Cuthbert's had witnessed in many a day--more exciting than the Deming +affair. The rumors were legion and as contradictory as numerous. + +"Hi! Jones; have you heard the news?" asked Smithers, about half an +hour after the discovery. + +"No. What?" asked Rob. + +"Haven't heard of the robbery?" + +"No. What robbery? No one has stolen our costumes, have they?" + +Rob Jones was full of the play of the night before, and just at this +moment he considered the costumes, if not the most valuable, at least +the most attractive things for a thief to make away with. + +"Costumes! Not much! It's cash. Hard-earned cash; at least cash +subscribed by other people. The delectable and very pious Henning has +managed to lose seventy-two dollars which the boys had already +subscribed for the cage." + +"Managed to lose! I don't understand. Speak plainer." + +"I mean, then, that Roy has lost that money and the report is that he +was robbed of it." + +"You miserable cur!" said Rob Jones. + +In a flash he saw Smithers' motive. There had evidently been a +robbery. No matter how, or when, or where, without knowledge of any +of the details whatever, Rob Jones was as sure as he was sure of his +own existence that Roy, big, generous, noble-hearted Roy, was +guiltless of the least shadow of complicity. As soon as he realized +that Smithers, in the mere telling of the event, was so coloring the +facts by innuendo and sneer that Roy's name would probably suffer, +Jones became furiously angry. + +"You miserable cur!" he repeated, and made a spring for the other's +throat. Luckily the high collar he wore saved Smithers to some extent, +or he might carry to this day some ugly marks. Jones fairly shook him, +as a mastiff would shake a whelp. + +"You cur! Is this the way you would blacken one's reputation! I tell +you Roy is innocent, and you shall apologize to him for your dastardly +insinuations. Come with me, come with me, I say," and he began to drag +the now frightened boy across the yard to where he thought Henning +was. Smithers, trembling, began to say something, but it was +unintelligible, which is very likely to be the case when another has +a strong hold on the speaker's throat. + +"Hold on there, Jones. You can't find Henning. He's gone out. I saw +him and several others leave about half an hour ago," said John +Stockley. A crowd had now gathered about the two. + +"A fight! a fight!" was the word that ran around the yard. + +Rob Jones relaxed his hold, but did not release the boy. Holding his +fist close to his captive's face he said: + +"Now take it back, or I'll thrash you till you can't see." + +"Wha--what did I say?" asked Smithers. + +"You know very well what you said. You said that the delectable and +pious Henning had managed to lose seventy-two dollars of the boys' +money. That's a lie. Take it back, or I'll----" + +"It isn't a lie," whimpered the choking Smithers. "Didn't he have +charge of the money? And hasn't it been stolen?" + +"But did he, as you say, manage to have it stolen? That is, is he +implicated in the theft, as you imply, or is he not? Speak out, man, +if you have a spark of honor in you. Speak out, or I'll thrash you if +I have to leave here to-morrow." + +Generous Rob! There were few boys at the college at this time who knew +that this same Rob Jones once played the role which Smithers was so +unsuccessfully attempting. He had repented of that long ago, but never +had there come a time, for which he had often wished, when he could +safeguard another's reputation, as a species of reparation for the +damaging of Howard Hunter's in the long ago. + +Irrespective of the idea that actuated him, Jones was quite convinced, +even without knowing the simplest details, that Roy Henning must be +free from all moral blame. Roy Henning was a boy whom Jones honored +and loved. All these circumstances must be considered when we pass +judgment on the vehement burst of passion which put young Smithers in +danger of strangulation. He muttered some kind of apology to the +absent Roy, and Jones with a positive grunt of disgust flung the +frightened boy as far as he could send him. He stumbled along for +several paces before regaining a steady footing. Mumbling something +inaudibly, he slunk away, but more than one of the students saw an +ugly, ominous look on his face as he went. + +"I hear all sorts of reports," said Stockley; "tell us the true story, +somebody." + +There was no lack of talkers, and almost as many theories. Few versions +of the affair agreed in substantials. In the course of the morning all +sorts of foolish rumors were flying around. One was, that Roy Henning +had been caught in the act of pocketing the money and had been instantly +expelled. In confirmation of this, the question was asked: "Where is he? +No one has seen him since the discovery!" Another busy rumor had it that +six boys were implicated and had been summarily dismissed. + +"Did not the President see six boys off the premises this morning?" +was advanced as a reason for this wild guess. Robert Jones, the absent +boy's champion, happened to hear this last stupid remark. + +"You set of babbling geese! You lot of old women! Here you go and +jabber away people's reputations as easily as--Oh! you make me sick! +Look here, you fellows, those six boys, and Henning among them, are +out for a day's holiday. I say the President would rather send home +six dozen dull-heads such as you fellows, than these six. They have +been given a privilege that you ninnies would never get if you were +here fifty years. Mark my words! To-morrow morning I shall call upon +some of you brainless gossips--some of you silly babblers--to repeat +before them what you have the impudence to say behind their backs." + +In this manner Rob Jones did much to keep down the public excitement, +and to reduce all stupid talk to a minimum. Mr. Shalford, also, had +put something of a quietus on many senseless and ugly remarks which +some malicious or thoughtless boys had set afloat. While admitting +that the loss of the money was to be deplored, he did all in his power +to exonerate Henning. + +"Although the loss is severe," he said, "yet after all no one +individually suffers much. It is true that, probably, we shall not be +able this winter to purchase the much-wished-for cage. Well, we have +never had one yet, and we can wait a little longer. The whole affair +might have worn a much worse aspect than it does. Suppose it had been +one of our own boys that had been guilty! I shudder to think of such a +thing! Now do not spread idle and useless conjectures as facts. We shall +endeavor strenuously to discover the thief, and until he is discovered +it were better to make no rash surmises. Especially must we refrain from +accusing any one of the crime until we have positive proof of his guilt, +and until he is discovered it were better and safer to make no surmises. +Some very stupid rumors have already reached me. Pray do not lose all +credit for common-sense. Let every boy act with moderation and justice. +No one has a right to constitute himself a judge of his fellows. If any +well-grounded suspicious circumstance comes to light, I am the one to be +consulted and no other." + +With such sensible remarks, and Rob Jones' generous defense of his +absent friend, much of the excitement had died down before the return +of the six excursionists. + +When they arrived, wrapped in buffalo robes and hoarse from singing on +the way, all the boys had assembled in the college theater to hear a +burnt-cork minstrel entertainment and to listen to the orchestra. +Supper was prepared for them in the infirmary, and they were told that +they might occupy beds there "for one night only" if they wished to +avail themselves of that privilege. + +Thus it happened that Roy Henning and his friends met none of the boys +that night. They had no opportunity of judging the public pulse until +the next morning. Tired as Henning was from the exercise and the +strain and excitement of the day, he could not sleep. After tossing +from one side to the other for an hour he got up, and, throwing a +blanket around him, sat at the window and began to do the worst +possible thing under the circumstances. He began to think and brood. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +WHAT HENNING REMEMBERED + + +There was much in Roy Henning's disposition to make him a creature +of temperament. Had he not been so strong and muscular one would +sometimes be inclined to imagine that he was possessed of the +peculiarly feminine accomplishment, yclept "nerves." For the least +reason, and sometimes apparently for none, he was all exhilaration and +enthusiasm. On such occasions everything was the brightest of bright +rose-color, and the failure of a project in hand was not even to be +dreamed of. + +Should anything go ever momentarily wrong in a pet scheme, he became +the veriest pessimist. All would go wrong; all the world was +conspiring against him. If it rained at such times, even nature +herself was in league against him. + +While he was to a large extent a creature of temperament, it must not be +supposed that he had not a high appreciation of manly qualities. None, +perhaps, at St. Cuthbert's, certainly none of his day, had loftier +ideals. With these and with his splendid physique he represented as fair +a type of Catholic early manhood as could be found. + +Henning had one peculiar trait, and to this may be traced much of the +trial and vexation to which he had already been subjected, and much of +which was to fall to him for the remainder of his time at St. +Cuthbert's. He remained too much self-centered. This was frequently an +occasion of trouble to him. An instance: it will be remembered that he +was told by his director not to tell any one save his parents of his +intention of entering the ecclesiastical state. He took this advice as +absolute, and on it molded his conduct, with what inconvenience to +himself we have already seen. + +It is not to be wondered at, then, that he kept his thoughts and his +fears and troubles arising from the loss of the money to himself. All +that day, except that first burst of grief, he made no outward +manifestation of what he was feeling or suffering. Of course he was +thus depriving himself of the sympathy and help which his friends were +only too ready to offer. Actuated by the highest of supernatural +motives, he nevertheless deprived himself in his difficulties of the +guidance and assistance of a faithful friend. Roy had yet to learn +that troubles told into sympathizing ears are more than half healed. +Small wonder then, with this habit of reserve, if the circumstances in +which he found himself on this holiday night of Christmas week paved +the way for a very gloomy meditation. + +He recalled his early school-days. Why had he been so unlike other boys +at school and at college? They were always full of self-assertiveness +and self-reliance; he had always been timid and retiring. Perhaps it was +the reflection of that timidity he had always felt in the presence of +his father. Had his college life been a happy one? Unfortunately, for +the most part, no. Not until last year--one year out of seven--when he +had the company and full sympathy of such noble characters as Howard +Hunter, Claude Winters, Harry Selby, Frank Stapleton, and others. With +such characters as those he could not help being happy. But all these +had gone; passed out of his life. Oh, if some of them were here now to +help and show him what to do! + +Those dear boys! And oh, that visit to Rosecroft, and that nearly +fatal accident when he so narrowly escaped being struck by the chute +boat! There was this consolation, that if the clouds thickened around +him he would get Ambrose Bracebridge to take him over to Rosecroft +Manor. There was Mrs. Bracebridge there, who would understand him and +who could always help and direct and encourage him. + +Thinking of her, Roy became more cheerful. I have said that he was a +creature of temperament. Here it served him in good turn. He began to +take a brighter view of the trials he knew awaited him on the morrow. +Was he not entirely innocent? Who would dare to impugn his character? +He would face all bravely, explain how he discovered the theft, and +blame himself publicly for his imprudence in keeping so much money +locked in a common table drawer. Then who would dare to say a word +against his integrity! All would pass over soon. He would write a full +account to his father, who would doubtless make good the loss. + +"By the way," he suddenly thought, half aloud, "am I responsible? Must +I make restitution of the lost money?" This was a puzzling question +which he could not decide. He determined to consult his spiritual +director the first thing in the morning. But wouldn't he like to catch +the thief! + +This last thought led him to a mental survey of all persons who might +possibly be guilty. To his credit, he spurned the idea that any one of +the college boys could be the culprit. No St. Cuthbert boy could do +such a thing, and if by chance it should happen to be a student, were +they not all Catholic boys? Would not the first confession the thief +made result in a full restitution of the ill-gotten goods? He had +little hope that any such thing would occur, but he had not the +slightest idea that any college student would prove to be the +delinquent. + +He endeavored to imagine a way the theft could have been accomplished. +It must have been committed between seven o'clock on Wednesday night +and six on Thursday morning, when the boys rose. It could not have +been done later than a minute or two after six, because it was the +custom of a number of boys who were in training to use the playroom as +a kind of indoor running-track immediately upon rising and before they +took their shower bath. + +He remembered that the door of the committee-room had been locked by +himself in the evening just before the play began. It is true that the +only window of this room was not fastened, but there were iron bars on +the outside. He remembered now that one of these bars--they were half +above ground and half in a window well which was covered by an iron +grating, that one of these bars was loose, for he now recalled the +fact that yesterday he had seen a boy move one of them with his foot +as he stood on the grating. Could the thief have gone through the +window? + +Henning suddenly clutched his chair in the greatest excitement. There +had flashed into his memory an incident which he had witnessed the night +before, but which until this very moment had not come to his memory. + +He remembered now that after the play last night he stood at the +Philosophy classroom window, and across the yard he had seen a boy +crouching down at these very bars. He had paid little attention at the +time, as his mind was full of the _Richelieu_ he had just played. The +electric light in the yard was so located that it put the boy, the +window, and one-third of the sidewalk in deep shade. The other part of +the sidewalk was very bright. He now remembered that when he first saw +the boy he was in a crouching position. He had not paid much attention, +and other things occupying his mind, he soon forgot all about it. What +was that other thought? Ah! now he remembered. It was that wretched +attempt to spoil the second scene of the play. He now recalled that for +some time he forgot all about the boy at the grating but when he did +think of him again he remembered seeing the boy as if he were just +rising from his knees, which, as he stood, he brushed with his hand. At +the time the boy received very little attention from Roy, who now +remembered having vaguely wondered why any one was out in the yard when +all, except the players, were in the chapel at evening prayers. Chapel +bell had sounded immediately after the play, so the actors could not +divest themselves of paint and disguises in time to attend. + +Who could that boy have been? Last night Henning was not interested +enough to find out. To-night he would give a great deal to know. He +remembered now that the person, whoever he was, wore a black soft felt +hat, which was pulled down well over his eyes and hid a great portion +of his face. A soft felt hat would not identify any one. There were +dozens of them in the yard. Oh, if he could only remember how the boy +was dressed! + +"Great heavens!" he ejaculated aloud in sudden, intense excitement. + +He arose and clutched the blanket around him and folded his hands +across his breast. His face was very white. He trembled. He began to +pace the floor, muttering as one demented, or at least as one under +the strongest stress of excitement. Great beads of perspiration stood +out on his forehead. At one time he thought he was going to faint. He +had made a discovery, and the discovery sickened him. + +The boy he saw at the window grating had worn a blue sweater! + +"No, no, no, no!" said Roy to himself many times. "I can't--I won't +believe it. I must be mistaken. It can not be he! No, no! Yet no one +else has a sweater of that color!" + +By this time he had left his room and was excitedly pacing up and down +the lengthy corridor. Luckily he was barefooted, or he would have +disturbed everybody. The more he thought over his discovery the more +he became convinced of the identity of the burglar. His conviction and +wretchedness grew in proportion. + +"It can not be! It can not be! Impossible! Impossible!" he muttered, +as he strode up and down. "Andrew is mean in many things, but not a +common felon! It can not, can not be true!" and he was hoping against +hope for his family's sake. + +Henning was never so excited in his life. For a long time he walked up +and down on the cocoa-matting. His blanket trailing behind him, often +caught the leaden binding of one of the strips of matting. This would +be raised about a foot and fall with a bang; his excitement prevented +him from noticing the noise he was making. + +Not so the old infirmarian, whose room was at the end of the corridor. +Peering out, he at first thought he saw a ghost. But ghosts do not +trip on cocoa-matting. He followed the disturber of his repose. +Henning, still under pressure of strong excitement, walked the whole +length of the corridor. He turned suddenly to encounter the angry +infirmarian. + +"Oh, it's Henning! What are you doing at this unearthly hour of the +night, disturbing my sleep?" said the old man in an unusually sharp +tone for him, for he was generally mild and kindly. The official at +first thought it was an ordinary case of somnambulism, but he soon +found Henning to be very wide-awake. + +"I've found it--the secret. I've got it," exclaimed Roy in excitement. + +"I guess you have--bad," said the old man with grim humor. "Well, if +you boys will fill yourselves up with rich plum-pudding and cake in +the daytime, you must expect to suffer at night. There now, get back +into bed, and don't disturb the whole house with your nonsense." + +"Oh, if I were only sure, I would settle the whole thing to-morrow," +muttered Roy. It is doubtful if, in his excited condition, he had seen +the infirmarian at all. + +"I'll settle you in the morning if you don't get back to bed at once. +Get now." + +But Roy did not move. He had lapsed into a thoughtful mood. He stood, +with his chin on his hand, motionless. + +"Do you hear me, boy? It's time to stop this Indian ghost-dance +business. There's no sense in breaking an old man's rest. Get to bed." + +The infirmarian was fully persuaded that the whole affair was only a +practical joke, such as even sick boys, or those, at least, who +sometimes get passed into the infirmary on the plea of sickness, are +not always above playing. Seeing that Henning did not move or pay any +attention to his words, the infirmarian took hold of his shoulders and +gave him a vigorous shaking. This operation had the effect of bringing +the distracted boy down to the knowledge of mundane things at once. + +"Eh! oh, ah!" he said in a bewildered, sheepish way. "I've made--a +horrible--discovery!" + +"You'll make another very unpleasant one in the morning if you don't +get into bed at once. Don't cause any more disturbance." + +Without another word Henning went back to his room, and softly closed +the door. He did not get into bed, but continued his ruminations. + +"Andrew! Andrew!" he moaned, "I did not think it would come to this!" + +He dropped his head on the window-sill and thought for a long, long +time. It was in some degree a contest between self-interest and family +pride. It was a long struggle, and the result of these cogitations he +announced to himself as he threw the blanket from his shoulders across +the bed. They were comprised in two short sentences: + +"I must keep silence! I _will_ keep silence!" + +The decision may have been fanciful, or it may have been heroic. We +shall see later. It led him into complications, the nature of which he +little dreamed. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +FACING THE BOYS + + +When Roy Henning entered the college chapel at half-past six to attend +Mass, his movements from the time he appeared at the door until he had +taken his seat were watched by many scores of pairs of curious eyes. +To even the small boys, who came near the big fellows only in the +chapel, Roy was an object of deep interest, for by some means the +reports and rumors of the big yard had seeped through to the small +division, and the most wonderfully distorted stories had been +circulated. Henning had been attacked, fought desperately, conquered +and bound, three men single-handed. He had been captured and carried +away by burglars (wasn't he absent all day?) to their cave, and gained +his liberty by the most daring feats of skill and bravery! Young +imaginations are active, and young tongues more so. + +The Philosophers--Henning's class--occupied the front benches in the +chapel. When Bracebridge and Henning came in they had as yet met no +boys since the public knowledge of the discovery of the robbery. Roy +was in some peculiar way quite conscious that his advance along the +aisle was causing quite a commotion, although its manifestation was +decorous on the part of the boys, owing to the place in which they +were gathered, and to their reverence for its divine Guest. + +Rob Jones occupied the outer seat of the bench. As the two friends +were passing him he turned his knees aside for them to do so and took +Roy's hand and gave it a warm squeeze. The pressure was gratefully +returned. Roy took heart. Much strengthened by this show of sympathy, +he determined to meet all inquiries after breakfast and give all the +information he possessed to any one who should ask. + +His regret over the loss was as poignant as when it was first +discovered, but in some way he now felt that he could face all the +boys and answer all their questions. He could not have done this the +day before. Perhaps Jones' unspoken sympathy had given him courage. + +As he expected, a large group gathered around him after breakfast. + +"How did it all happen?" asked John Stockley, anxious to learn the +particulars down to the minutest detail. + +Henning gave them all the information he possessed. When the +discussion had died down a little, he said: "As far as I can see, the +thief must have entered through the window." + +"From the yard side, or the garden side?" + +"There is but one window, if you remember, in the committee-room, and +that is on the yard side. All the windows on the garden side are in +the playroom outside the committee-room." + +"That's true, come to think of it," said Stockley; "but could not the +thief have gone in by the playroom by way of the partition door?" + +"I do not think so," answered Roy, "because, you know the door has a +Yale lock, and I am the only one who has a key to it, except Mr. +Shalford." + +"It is not likely that he robbed the drawer," said Stockley with a +laugh. "We are all very sorry for you and you have our sympathy." + +Stockley looked around, and the others in the group nodded in +affirmation. + +"Thanks. You are very kind. You can not regret this occurrence more +than I do, especially since I failed to take Bracebridge's advice to +put the money in a safer place." + +"It's lucky that a fellow like you lost that money, and not a poor +beggar like me," remarked Smithers, who was standing on the outer edge +of the gathering. Henning looked sharply at the speaker: + +"Why?" he asked. + +"Simply because a fellow like you who always has plenty of money will +find no difficulty in replacing that which is gone. Such a thing would +be impossible for impecunious me," and the speaker turned his empty +trousers' pockets inside out, and spun around on his heel. A few +laughed, but the majority were silent, not liking the clownish +exhibition of bad taste. + +Henning was, naturally under the circumstances, in a nervous +condition. He at once suspected that this Smithers was merely the +spokesman of many others, and that he was expressing their sentiments +as to what his line of action should be. Whether he acted judiciously +or not in this immature stage of developments, we leave to subsequent +events to determine. He replied, and rather warmly, too: + +"I don't know so much about that, Smithers. It may turn out to be the +misfortune of all, at least of all who contributed. I really do not +remember whether you gave anything or not. I shall certainly not make +up the loss unless the President fully convinces me that I am under +obligation to do so. I am going to see him now. Even should he decide +against me I do not know whether I shall be able to replace the money." + +A faint murmur of surprise and dissatisfaction, Henning was convinced, +ran through the increasing group, as he, in company with Bracebridge, +moved away toward the President's office. + +The two walked slowly away from the crowd of boys. Bracebridge +appeared to be thinking deeply. He had something to say, but hesitated +to say it. Ambrose, with the instincts of a born gentleman, was always +extremely careful of the feelings of others. + +"Roy!" + +"Yes." + +"You said just now to that cad of a fellow that you did not know----" + +"Whether I should be able to repay the money. Yes. What of it?" + +"That is a startling statement----" + +"Not so very. But in the first place I am not at all sure that I shall +be held responsible. Look here, Brose----" + +They stopped at the foot of the steps leading to the President's room. + +"Look here. Supposing there had been a fire, and the money had been +burned. I should not have been told to restore it, should I?" + +"I do not know that you would be held." + +"Now if one undertakes to hold money temporarily for others, and takes +ordinary precautions for safe-keeping, do you think he would be held +responsible for it if it were stolen?" + +"But the safer plan would have been----" + +"Am I held to take the safer plan? Of course, I regret that I did not +take the safer plan, as you suggested, but am I held to have taken the +safer plan? Wasn't the ordinary precaution sufficient? The door of +that room was locked, the drawer of the table was locked, and it was +not generally known that I kept the money there at all." + +"You seem to make out a good case for yourself," said Bracebridge +laughing, "but we will let the President decide the case. It is too +hard for us. But I did not intend to talk about that." + +"What then, old fellow?" + +"You told Smithers, for the benefit of the whole yard I take it, that +you did not know whether you would be able to pay back the money. Now +I thought----" + +But he stopped awkwardly upon seeing the deep blushes suffuse +Henning's brow. What had he said? Were these blushes of shame or +vexation? What could possibly be the matter? + +"I--I--thought--that--I thought----" he stammered, at a loss how to +proceed. + +"Go on, old man. I know that whatever you would say, you do not intend +to wound me." + +"Thank you, Roy. That's perfectly true. But perhaps I should not have +broached the subject at all." + +"Go on; go on." + +"Well, if you insist. I thought that you always had plenty of money. +From what you say it seems that this is not the case. Now if--if you +will allow me--if I might--if you would not be offended--if--oh! you +understand me, Roy," he blurted out at last. "I want to help you pay +it back." + +Henning did not speak: indeed he could not have done so just at that +moment. There was a very big lump in his throat. He hemmed and coughed +once or twice, but that only made it worse. Bracebridge saw his +friend's embarrassment, but did not speak. He took Roy's hand. + +"I understand--true friend," said Roy, huskily, "but I can not +explain." + +He was silent for some time. He then said, partly to himself and +partly aloud--"but I can. Why should I not do so? He is true and +loyal. My father put no conditions of secrecy on me, or on his +strange action. Ambrose?" + +"Well?" + +"Will you listen to me?" + +"Of course I'll listen to you." + +"Thank you. In order that you may know why I believe I shall not be +able to pay back that money, I must first tell you of a peculiar thing +my father has thought fit to impose upon me." + +"Go ahead then, but since confidences are in order, let me tell you +one first, which will make your story easier to tell, more probably. +Next year you are going to study for the priesthood!" + +"How on earth did you learn that?" + +"At the Little Sisters' dinner. I was an unintentional eavesdropper, +and I heard you say to the chaplain, as I was passing with some dish +or something, these words--'for my own diocese: next year.' Let me +congratulate you, Roy, on your choice. I have always thought ever +since I first knew you that you were worthy of that high calling." + +"You do surprise me, indeed," said Roy, "but your knowledge does not +make my story the easier to tell." + +Roy Henning then told Ambrose of his desire to enter the seminary, of +his broaching the subject to his father during the last vacation, and +of the strange test to which his father had thought fit to subject +him. + +"Now, Ambrose," he said, when he had finished his narration, "you may +understand my conduct in refusing to play ball this year, on account +of which so many of the boys seemed so disappointed. I have met with +so many annoyances since last September that more than once before +this loss of yesterday I had all but determined to leave old St. +Cuthbert's, and be quit of it all. I would have done so if it had not +been for you and Jack and Tom." + +"I am sincerely glad you did not." + +"Well, I do not know whether I am. But let me go back to my subject. +You see, that with my father's present peculiar view of things, it is +by no means certain that he will make good this loss, and if he +refuses I shall be in a bad pickle." + +"Oh, Roy!" said Bracebridge, with a vehemence that was almost passion, +"let me do it. Let me do it for you. You know my father. You know that +he has every confidence in me; he is not a crank, and----" + +"Stop, Ambrose," said Roy, "I can not allow you, even by implication, +to speak disrespectfully of my father. That I do not understand his +motives is true. That it is mighty hard on me is equally true, but he +is my father." + +"There!" said the other in dismay. "I am always putting my foot into +it. Forgive me. I didn't mean anything; indeed I did not. Oh! Roy, you +know what I mean. Let me help you out of this. It's as easy as A-B-C, +you know. No one need know. Pshaw! one would be a poor friend, if, +when quite able, he should hang back." + +"Thanks, dear old fellow. Many thanks. We will see. We will see. If it +comes to the worst, I won't hesitate to talk to you again about this. +In the meantime we will drop it for the present." + +With this Ambrose had to be content. The two friends then rapped at +the President's door. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +SUSPICIONS + + +Upon the whole, Roy Henning was well pleased with the manner in which +the boys had received him. Over-sensitive as he was, he had expected +that they would either accuse him of complicity, or openly blame him +for the loss of the money. Taken altogether, they behaved remarkably +well. The majority had real sympathy for him in the awkward position +in which he found himself. + +With a fine regard for his feelings, no one, after Roy's first +announcement of his probable incapacity to refund, mentioned openly to +him the question of restitution. Everybody understood that the +President had arrived at some decision on this point, but all were in +the dark as to its nature. + +The days passed into weeks. Every effort was made to trace the thief, +but without success. It became finally the general conclusion that +some outsider, in no way connected with the college, was the culprit, +and that he had gotten off safely with his booty. But in the many +impromptu committees, organized in moments of unusual zeal for the +purpose of "doing something," the unanswerable difficulty always +arose--"How could a stranger know there was money in that particular +room of the dozens in the college?" + +The pitcher's cage was not purchased that winter. It was noticed by +the boys that Andrew Garrett, as far as they could observe, never once +spoke to his cousin about the loss. Roy, owing to the result of the +thoughts of the sleepless night he had spent in the infirmary, +imagined that Garrett had good reasons for keeping clear of him. + +He was keenly alive to Garrett's every action, resulting from what he +believed to be well-grounded suspicions. He did not fail to notice one +peculiarity on the part of his cousin. Very soon after the robbery +Garrett discarded the sky-blue sweater which had made him so +conspicuous a figure in the yard ever since September. Roy confessed +to himself that he was unable to attach any importance to this. + +The theft had been too genuine a sensation at the college for all +discussion to die out soon. In the course of time the whole yard +appeared to be divided into two factions or parties. One side was loyal +and strenuous in upholding Henning, claiming him to be beyond reproach +and spotless in his integrity. As may be surmised, the leaders of this +party were Jack Beecham, Tom Shealey, Ambrose Bracebridge, and Rob +Jones, the first defender of Roy in his absence. These companions knew +Henning well. They called him "Don Quixote." They teased him often, yet +they knew that he was the soul of honor. Any one of these would as soon +suspect himself as cast suspicion on Roy. + +The existence of this party was the outgrowth of a popular indignation +against a few boys who had, in discussing the robbery, persistently +left the impression that they considered that there was an +unsatisfactory mystery about it. + +Out of kindness to Roy, little--scarcely anything--of what his friends +heard in the yard reached his ears. When he did not happen to be +present his friends were by no means backward in denouncing the +opposition. + +Henning asked no questions, even of his friends, yet by a kind of +unconscious assimilation he became aware of the strong sentiment +against him, and of the strong resentment of those opposed to him. +These things he learned more by averted glances and partially +concealed avoidances than by overt act or speech. He never mentioned +this to his friends, who thought he did not observe it. No one had +ever told him of Jones' catlike spring at the throat of Smithers, yet +Roy learned of it in some way, and while he was filled with gratitude +toward Jones it only tended to confirm his own opinion that there was +a large party antagonistic to him. + +There was now only a mere speaking acquaintance between Henning and +Garrett, which, as cousins, they could not avoid. They observed the +merest civilities. + +About the middle of February Henning and his friends were surprised to +note that Garrett was spending money very freely. He had always +availed himself of every little luxury that could be purchased within +the college bounds, but now it seemed that he was more lavish than +ever. Spring was approaching. Garrett purchased two or three baseball +bats, a fine shield, mask, catcher's glove, and a number of the best +baseballs. He evidently paid the highest prices, for upon inquiry it +was found he had had no communication with the prefect, or with the +sports' committee who usually secured some discount for cash. Clothes, +shoes, hats, and ties were also lavishly purchased. What could it all +mean? To add to the mystery Stockley and that boy Smithers, who had +turned his pockets inside out in proof of his impecuniosity, were also +spending considerable money, although a much less amount than Garrett. + +All this, of course, strengthened Roy's suspicions. Where did he get +all the money? And why was he making such a lavish display? Roy was, +nevertheless, puzzled by the evident fact that while all noticed +Garrett's free purchasing, no one appeared to suspect him of any +connection with the lost funds. + +Henning could not in conscience mention his suspicions to any one. If +any one would but broach the subject, then he would talk and take +advice on what was the best line of action to pursue. His common-sense +told him that to accuse his cousin publicly on his mere suspicion +would be worse than useless. + +To add to the complications of the situation, within a week or two of +Garrett's expenditures Roy himself began to spend money freely. Where +it came from was a mystery which was not cleared up for many a day. He +expended quite a sum on books, baseball goods, shoes, etc. + +It is quite certain that Henning did not realize how large the majority +was who were in opposition to him. Had he done so he would have acted +with more discretion, for the time was critical for him. Even some of +his best friends were sorely put to it to account for his outlay. More +than one of his staunchest supporters began to waver in their +allegiance. No one doubted his integrity, but some were not pleased with +his want of prudence. Before closing this narrative we shall explain +where this money came from, why Roy bought the particular goods he did, +and why he bought them at this particular time. + +"I wonder how it is," said Smithers, "that Henning has so much money +to spend just now." + +"Don't know I'm sure, but I suppose it is all right," replied +Stockley. + +"But isn't it strange that he who has been so close all the year +should change and be lavish so suddenly?" + +"Oh, come off! that's an innuendo! Give the fellow a show. You are +hinting that it is the subscription money he is now spending, and +that, consequently, he was the thief." + +"Oh, say, don't put it that strong!" said Smithers uneasily. + +"But that's what you mean, all the same. I don't like him, but to do +him justice, I don't think--I'm sure--he had any hand in getting away +with that money." + +"Why?" + +"Oh, because--because I don't believe he had, that's all." + +"But that's no proof." + +"Didn't say it was. I said it was my belief." + +Just at that moment Bracebridge and Garrett joined the speakers. + +"Look here, Bracebridge," said Smithers, "Stockley says that he +doesn't believe that Henning had anything to do with taking that +money." + +"I'm sick of all this talk," said Ambrose angrily; "just as if any one +who knew Henning at all could entertain such a thought for a moment!" + +"But why is he spending so much just now?" insinuated Smithers. + +"I don't know, and I don't care. It's none of our business anyway." + +But he did care. He was very uneasy. He remembered what Roy had told +him of his home affairs. He was sorely puzzled, yet his loyalty did +not waver. + +"For my part," said Garrett, "although Henning is my relative and I am +therefore naturally concerned in all that he does, I can not help +thinking that his action is a little unfortunate." + +"For your part," retorted Ambrose, "and for your own credit, you had +better say as little as you can." + +"For my part I shall say what I choose, and to whom I choose." + +"Then do not choose to say it to me, for I won't hear it," and Ambrose +walked away, very angry. + +"Humph! the great mogul is getting quite huffy," remarked Smithers. +"Well, never mind, Garrett, for although Henning is your cousin you +are not to blame if he falls under suspicion." + +In his heart Garrett knew Henning was innocent. But he did not like +him. He was jealous of him. He saw in him qualities of mind and heart +which he knew he himself did not possess, and, as is the case with all +small natures, he was jealous. He had neither the wish nor the courage +to state his belief in Roy's innocence. + +On the other hand Garrett despised Smithers. The boy was poor. Every +one knew that. But poverty is no disgrace, and never at St. Cuthbert's +has it been a subject of reproach. There are some natures which become +vicious because of their poverty. Smithers was one of these. He was +one of those who, in season and out of season, was forever reiterating +what he called his suspicions. This was the more base, because, had +there been any foundation for them, gratitude should have compelled +him to remain silent. On more than one--on many an occasion--Henning +had quietly and unostentatiously helped this boy out of little +financial difficulties, such as paying his library fees and fines, +securing for him tennis shoes, and little things of that kind. + +Garrett had just heard all this for the first time, and the better +side of his nature at that moment, notwithstanding his strange remark +to Bracebridge, was in the ascendant. Secretly he was ashamed of his +comradeship with Smithers, who was perhaps one of the most undesirable +boys at St. Cuthbert's. + +"Shock" Smithers--so named on account of the permanently untidy +condition of his hair--was, therefore, very much surprised indeed at +what he next heard from Garrett. + +"Of course," Garrett began, "as you speak with so much certainty about +my cousin, you have positive proof of his guilt?" + +Smithers began to laugh. He thought that a good joke. + +"I see no laughing matter. I ask you a plain question. You have proof +of Henning's guilt--which for some reason you are withholding?" + +"Not--not exactly proof, you know, but, eh--but you know, eh--you know +as well as I do how suspicion points to him." + +"Then you make all this to-do on mere suspicion?" + +"Of course. We have nothing more than suspicions, have we?" + +"Yes, certainly. You must have more than suspicion when you state +publicly that Roy deserves to be in State's prison." + +"I--I did not say that. I--" + +"Yes, you did. I heard you myself, and on that I largely based my own +judgment. Don't lie." + +"I did not say that definitely, you know. I said that if what is said +about him is true he ought to be there, Andy." + +"You are a liar! I myself heard you say it, and what is more, I have +only just now heard how Roy has been treating you ever since +September, giving you books, money, and buying things for you. You're +a skunk! that's what you are." + +Garrett walked away. Smithers was left in no enviable frame of mind. +The principal part of his chagrin arose, not from the fact that he had +been mean and cowardly, but that it had been discovered that he had +received assistance from any one, and especially from Roy Henning. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +ROY MAKES A MOVE + + +Roy Henning gave much anxious consideration to the ugly tangle in +which he found himself involved. He sincerely, but unavailingly, +regretted that he had allowed himself to become the treasurer. +Perhaps, he thought, if he had followed the letter of his father's +wishes this unfortunate business would never have happened. + +The more he thought over what he remembered to have seen on the night +of the play the more convinced he became of the guilt of one who would +be the very last he could wish to be implicated. + +At times he doubted and wavered in his convictions. Was he absolutely +sure that it was his cousin whom he had seen that night? Could it not +have been some one else? There was no one else in the yard who wore a +blue sweater. He was sure he had seen this on the boy who had entered +the window. Yet was he absolutely sure that it was Andrew? When he put +this question to himself and demanded an answer, he always gave it +unhesitatingly in the affirmative. Yet, strange to say, at other times +he doubted the accuracy of his conclusions. Might he not be mistaken +after all? There was a possibility. The figure was in the glare of the +arc light so short a time, and in the shadow so much longer. Was it +not possible that he was mistaken after all? + +The size of the boy certainly corresponded with his cousin's build and +height, but, after all, most boys of about the same age resemble +each other in build. Oh, if it had not been for that soft hat pulled +down over the face! Could he have obtained but one glance at the face +in the strong electric light there would be no hesitating. But this +the thief took precautions against. The leaf of the hat was drawn well +over the nose, making it impossible to see the face. + +There was no question about the blue sweater being there. The short +black coat which Garrett usually wore over the sweater was there +too. Was there a sufficient motive on the part of Andrew to commit +such a crime? On this point the boy was much puzzled. Garrett, he +knew, had plenty of money. There could be no pecuniary inducement to +commit the crime. Ha, perhaps there was an inducement after all. +Before Christmas had it not been an open secret that several boys +had lost heavily--heavily for boys at school--on some foolish +betting? Mr. Shalford had heard of this foolishness, found out a few +of the bets, and forced the winners to return the money. He had +broken up, apparently, the habit which periodically becomes a +temporary mania with a certain class of boys. Perhaps Garrett had +lost a bet and wanted money! + +Henning could not believe that any personal pique against himself +would be a sufficient inducement for his cousin to go to such lengths +to gratify it. Felony is high payment for the gratification of spite. +That threat of "getting even," which Garrett had used against him last +summer, Roy believed to be the expression of a momentary vexation. It +is certain he did not connect it with anything so serious as this +robbery. Long ago he had forgotten it, and he supposed Andrew had done +so too. + +What then, supposing it were he who had committed the crime, could +have been Garrett's motive? Roy could not fathom the difficulty. He +had to leave it unsolved. He saw there was no proportion between +Garrett's little pique and the enormity of this deed, which would +forever brand the perpetrator as belonging to the criminal class. +Surely Andrew had more sense than to do such a thing; and yet! + +"Why, oh! why did I," said Roy to himself, "go mooning about and +looking out of that window after the play that night! Why didn't I go +to bed at once, like the rest? Then I would never have been haunted +with this memory. I am going to get this thing settled, and that soon. +I'll see Garrett privately if I can, publicly if I must. I will make +him exonerate me from all suspicion. I can not imagine how any +suspicion became attached to me. He would hardly dare to set it +afloat. This thing has to come to an end, and that at once." + +These tormenting thoughts came to his mind one Sunday afternoon in +early spring. Everything out of doors spoke of joy and cheerfulness. +The trees had burst their buds, and the winter bareness of landscape +had been once more turned into a thing of beauty. No trees were as yet +in full leaf, but there was a delicate pale-green tracery on bough and +twig, a sign of life and luxurious beauty later on, and full of the +beauty of promise now. Beneath the feet the young grass was rich and +soft, while here and there were seen the first white flowers in the +vocal hedgerows. + +Full of thoughts by no means attuned to the happy season, or in +keeping with the loveliness of the day, Roy started out to find his +cousin. He was just in the mood to "have it out" with him. He had +worked himself up to a pitch of resolution, in which was blended no +little anger at the injustice of his position. He was determined to +have the wretched affair settled at once and forever. He was morally +certain that no one save himself knew of his cousin's supposed +delinquency, because, he argued and probably correctly, if any one +else had known it, it would have been divulged long ago. + +Searching the yard, study-hall, and gymnasium, as well as the large +reading-room and playroom, he could find no trace of Garrett. + +"He is out walking, I suppose. Oh, well! I'll catch him before supper +and see what he has to say for himself." + +Henning did not care to have his friends, Jack and Ambrose, with him +just now. He wanted to be alone to think over the situation. With this +object in view he went toward the college walk, a beautiful winding +path, overshadowed by fine old elms, beeches, and oaks. Here and there +along this half-mile of graveled way rustic seats had been placed for +the convenience of the students. The path was irregularly circular. In +the center the ground was much lower and was thickly covered with fine +trees, whose tops in many instances barely reached the level of the +footpath. On the outer side of the walk the ground rose and the slope +was covered with noble forest trees. + +The softness of the spring verdure, the sweet caress of the warm air, +the repose of this charming spot, and its complete sequestration from +the perennial noise and bustle of the yards and ballfields, tended to +soothe the irritated feelings of our friend. He went to the farthest +limit of the walk without meeting a single friend. There he sat down +on a bench to rest. In a few minutes he heard approaching footsteps on +the gravel. Determined to let the intruder upon his thoughts pass on +unnoticed, he did not raise his head from his hands as the walker +approached. + +"Good afternoon, Roy." + +Henning looked up and saw--Garrett. He was surprised by the way his +cousin addressed him, for, never since the first week of the +school year had the cousins used any other form of address than their +surnames. + +"Oh! Good afternoon." + +"Fine weather for early spring." + +"Yes." + +Roy saw that, by his manner, Garrett had something to say, but he +wanted just then to have the saying. At all events he was determined +to say the first word of consequence. + +"I wonder you are willing to talk with me--are not afraid of being +seen talking with me." + +"I don't see why you should----" + +Henning interrupted. He was quite ill-tempered this afternoon, and +this was quite unusual with him. + +"No, you don't see why," he said. "You haven't been the cause of my +being suspected of that wretched thieving, have you! You are not hand +and glove with those fellows who would stop at nothing if they could +injure me." + +"I must admit," said the other, "I have heard a great deal some of +them say." + +"And of course believe it all, or pretend to." + +"Pretend to! What do you mean?" + +"I mean that before them you pretended to believe me guilty. Knowing +what you know, it must have been all a pretence." + +"Knowing what I know! What do you mean?" + +"You know very well, indeed, what I mean." + +"I do not." + +"Yes, you do; you are only pretending now. Your action now is of a +piece with your whole conduct ever since December 28, when the money +was taken." + +"Roy Henning! what on earth do you mean? You are either crazy, or +laboring under some great mistake." + +Garrett saw with alarm the trend of Henning's remarks. Was his cousin +going to charge him with the theft? He was very well aware that Roy's +charge, if he should make one, would receive much more credence in the +yard than would any counter-charge against Roy. He became quite +alarmed, for he was quick enough to see some very unpleasant +consequences. His look of alarm tended to confirm Roy in his +suspicions. + +"No wonder you look frightened, cousin--dear cousin--loving cousin," +said Henning sarcastically. He had a long time suffered greatly from +innuendo and unfriendliness, but we must do Roy the justice to say +that such a manner of speech was uncommon with him. Just at this +moment he was nervous and over-irritable and had not complete control +of himself or of his words. + +"No wonder you look frightened," he continued, "now that the tables +are beginning to turn. I have borne suspicion and averted looks from +the boys long enough. You have to bring about a change. You can do +it." + +"And how, pray?" Garrett was getting angry. + +"You know how very well. One word from you would clear me. +And--you--have--got--to say it!" + +"It seems to me that you are taking leave of your senses. How on earth +will one word of mine clear you? The only way that could be done, it +seems to me, would be to incriminate myself, and as to that--no, I +thank you." + +"I care not one red cent whether you incriminate yourself or not. You +must clear me--do you hear?" + +"I would like to know how, and, moreover, I would like to see you make +me." + +"I can not--that is, I will not make you--but not for your own sake." + +Henning remembered the promise he had made to himself of silence on +the night he had spent in the infirmary. On the other hand Garrett was +becoming very much afraid of his cousin. He had never seen him so +excited or determined before. What did Roy know? What could he tell to +harm him? He knew that his record with the faculty, and with the boys +too, was not an enviable one. Whatever Roy would do he would +undoubtedly be believed, and he realized that he would have hard work +to disprove any allegations Roy might make. + +"You speak correctly when you say you can not," Andrew retorted. + +"I do not! I can make you if I will. For other reasons I do not wish +it. You must do it without compulsion." + +"Do what?" + +"Clear me. Clear me of all suspicion." + +"It seems to me that in the present state of the boys' minds that would +be impossible. In saying what I have said about you, Roy, I have only +followed the lead of others. Things have been hinted so often that at +last I began to believe some of them--at least partly believe them." + +"You coward!" said Henning, now thoroughly angry. Both boys rose from +the bench simultaneously and faced each other. By a singular chance +each had his hands in his pockets. It appeared for an instant that +they were coming to blows. So strained was the situation, that if +either had at that moment taken his hand from his pocket it would have +been a signal for a fight. Henning's face was white with anger. +Garrett's was red with apprehension and vexation. + +"You are a coward," repeated Henning; "you know a great deal about +this affair." + +Garrett thought best to deny all knowledge. + +"I do not." + +"Indeed! and I suppose you know nothing of the loosened bars of the +window of the committee-room?" + +"No." + +"I thought not. And I suppose you know nothing of the boy who was seen +to have gone through that window on the night of the play?" + +"No." + +"Oh, no! Of course not. I suppose, too, there are half a dozen boys +who sport sky-blue sweaters to make themselves conspicuous." + +Henning waited a moment and Garrett said: + +"It is no one's concern but my own what I wear." + +"Well, my dear, affectionate cousin, that blue sweater was seen--seen, +mind--that night to go through that window and come out again." + +Garrett started violently. Henning took the motion for an admission of +guilt, but Garrett had no intention of making such acknowledgment. +Indeed he became as angry as Henning was. + +"Whether I am guilty or not, a question I absolutely decline to +discuss, do you think, you jackanapes, that I would admit it to you? +Not if I know myself. Do you think I am going to swallow whole a story +like that? You must think I am dreadfully green, or dreadfully afraid +of you. If you have evidence, bring it forward. That you can, and will +not, is to me, permit me to say, all buncombe. Bah! You weary me! Do +what you can and what you dare!" + +Snapping his fingers with a show of righteous indignation, Garrett +walked away. If the boy were guilty, if it were he who was seen to +enter the room through that window on the night of the theft, he now +acquitted himself of a splendid piece of acting. If he were innocent, +then his indignation were natural. Henning would then have to +acknowledge that he had done him a gross injustice. But Roy was firmly +convinced that his cousin had brazened the thing out. He regretted +that he had let him know that he would not compel him to make an +acknowledgment of his guilt. Roy had never expected that he would do +so. All he required from his cousin was that he would speak in his +favor and make an effort to turn the tide of opinion, trusting in his +friends for the rest. + +When Andrew Garrett moved away Roy's first impulse was to follow him +and compel a confession. Suddenly the thought came to him that perhaps +he had blundered. Under the new and annoying impression he stood +motionless until Garrett had disappeared along the winding walk. Once +more, as his anger left him, he sat down and, head in hands, meditated +on the ugly position in which he found himself, made worse than before +if he had blundered. + +He began now to have doubts regarding the identity of the thief. Was +it not just possible that some other person possessed a blue sweater +as well as his cousin? Could he have been mistaken, after all? The +window from which he saw the thief was a hundred yards away. Could he, +after all, positively identify a person at that distance at night? Was +he not too much excited after the successful _Richelieu_ performance +to be in a condition to be certain? He had taken only a casual glance +at the figure, and it was more than twenty-four hours afterward that +he had remembered the boy wore the fatal blue sweater, which he now +began to realize was the one and only means of identifying his cousin. +Garrett must have some good grounds for his steady and persistent +denials; yet that he should deny was not surprising to Roy for he knew +his cousin fairly well. + +The young man would have remained long in his unpleasant and +disturbing meditations had he not heard some one approaching, and +singing some ridiculous parody which had recently "caught" the yard, +having been cleverly introduced into a recent debate on the relative +importance of the Hibernians and the Anglo-Saxons in this country. It +ran: + + "There came to the beach a poor exile of Erin, + The dew on his thin robe was beany and chill-- + Ere the ship that had brought him had passed out of hearin', + He was Alderman Mike, introducing a bill." + +It was Jack Beecham's happy voice, and his merry laugh echoed through +the trees. At that moment, as he turned a bend in the walk, he caught +sight of Roy. + +"Shame on the false Etruscan who lingers in his home," he shouted. +"Come on, Roy; Tom Shealey and myself are going for a good long tramp +in the woods. Why, man, you look as doleful as a November day. What's +up? Come on; a good walk will drive the blues away." + +The two friends took Henning for a good long tramp, which is the most +satisfactory curative process for driving away depression of spirits, +settling one's nerves, and banishing ill-temper. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +GARRETT IS ANGRY + + +When Andrew left his cousin on the college walk he was in a very angry +mood. He was quite sure that Henning did not know whether he was +guilty or not, and he was satisfied that he had so guarded his words +in his unexpected interview that Roy would not be able to take +anything he had said as an admission of guilt. As soon as he +discovered the drift of his cousin's remarks he made up his mind that +he would not be betrayed into any speech that afterward might be used +against him. + +He had actually started out, as Henning had done, to find his cousin +to talk with him. It will be remembered that he had used a very +conciliatory tone, and spoke to his relative by his Christian name. He +was acting at the moment under one of the few good impulses that came +to him at that period of his life. But all this was most unfortunately +frustrated by Henning's miserable ill-humor of the moment. + +Returning to the yard after this stormy interview, he met the two +boys, who, unfortunately, exercised the worst influence over him of +any boys in the school, Smithers and Stockley. Nothing could have been +more inopportune than their presence just when he was sore in spirit +and angry. He was sore and more or less ashamed at the part he had +played in regard to his cousin's reputation. He was not always without +touches of compunction on this subject. He was angry, too, because of +the recent interview. He knew that on account of this very anger he +would very likely do more injury to Henning. His mind was in that +state that made it ripe for any mischief these two worthies might +suggest. + +"We have been looking for you, Garrett. Where have you been?" said +Smithers. + +"Along the walk." + +"Some one in the yard said you had gone hobnobbing with your +respectable relative," remarked Stockley. + +"I was talking with him for a while, but not hobnobbing, as you call +it." + +"What had he to say?" asked Smithers. There was an ugly, vindictive +leer on Smithers' face which Garrett never liked and which in his +better moments he detested. He really despised him, and all his life +he had never associated with this class of boy. Not being in very good +humor, he said: + +"He had no compliments for you, at any rate." + +"Didn't expect he had. It's not very likely that one hanging over a +precipice with regard to his reputation, as he is, would have any +compliments for any one. But what did he say, anyway?" + +"Oh, nothing!" answered Garrett. "I find that he is more fully aware +of the suspicions against him than I imagined. He is pretty sore under +them, I can tell you." + +Smithers' eyes glittered with satisfaction. By a strange perversion he +was pleased that Henning was suffering. Why? The answer is difficult. +Because, perhaps, Henning had done him many a good turn. In time of +necessity he was glad enough to receive assistance. When better times +came for him, he promptly forgot. He lacked gratitude. He was only one +more exemplification of the old adage: "If you want to lose a friend, +lend him money, and if you want to gain an enemy put some one under +great obligations to you." + +"Sore, is he? I can make him sorer still. Have you heard what has been +found?" asked Smithers, looking first at Stockley and then at Garrett. + +Had the latter been a little more observant he would have noticed +Smithers' eyelids twitch in an unmistakably nervous way, and his +fingers open and close spasmodically. + +"No, I have not. Not the stolen money, I suppose," laughed Garrett +mirthlessly. + +"Not much," said Smithers, "that's not likely to be found. I guess +that's gone for good." + +"What then?" + +"A piece of writing!" + +"Whose?" + +"Henning's." + +"Of what nature? What has it to do with the suspicion in the yard?" + +"It has a good deal to do with it." + +"Well, out with it, if you have anything to tell. I'm tired of this +dallying. What's up?" + +Garrett, still out of temper, was quite testy. It can be seen that he +had very little respect for these boys. He made no pretense of +choosing his words with them. + +Smithers, nothing daunted by the surly manner in which he had been +addressed, after more or less fumbling, drew from the inside pocket of +his coat a crumpled sheet of letter-paper. It bore the college printed +address on the top, and was dated December 23. + +"Whose writing is that, do you think?" asked Smithers. + +"I don't know. Let me look at it. Yes, I do though! It's my cousin's! +What does he say?" + +He straightened out the creases and read the letter hurriedly. + +"Phew! by all that's great, this is a stunner!" said Garrett. + +The other two boys exchanged glances of satisfaction. Smithers' +eyelids twitched more than ever. + +"Where did you get this from?" + +"No matter where it came from," answered Stockley; "it's just what we +want to settle this business. It has been hanging fire long enough. It +ought to be settled for everybody's sake. I think this will do it." + +Garrett did not like his cousin, and hitherto had not been above doing +him a bad turn occasionally. He was recognized, more or less, as the +mouthpiece of those opposed to Roy. To do Andrew justice it must be +admitted that he never quite realized what injury he was doing his +cousin. A full realization of the injustice of his course was not to +come to him for a long time, but now, since this interview, he was +very uneasy. If Henning was determined to act on the offensive, he +must prepare to defend himself. Here was a piece of paper, luckily +thrown in his way, with which he could divert suspicion from himself +should his cousin be goaded into retaliating. He knew enough of Roy's +character to realize that he would have his hands full, if that +individual decided to take the initiative in the tangle. + +But what of the "find" of Smithers? What important piece of +information did it contain which was evidently so detrimental to +Henning as to draw the sudden exclamation of surprise from Garrett's +lips? It was not a complete letter, but merely a first draft. It ran +as follows: "My dear friend." + +The word "friend" had been marked through and "chum" inserted +instead. + +"Your letter rec'd last Monday. Sorry to say that ... have no money +now ... so can't possibly do the thing you wish ... awfully sorry ... +feel like stealing the money rather than letting this thing go undone. +However, wait till the end of Christmas week. It won't be too late +then. Something's going to happen before that! Then we can go into +partnership--at least for the merit of the thing. Keep everything +dark. Don't say a single word to anybody about it. Mind now, chum, +everything must be kept a secret, or--smash. Yours, Roy H." + +The missive, or first copy of one, looked mysterious enough. To these +boys into whose possession it had by some means fallen, it had a +decidedly dark-lantern appearance. To their minds, in view of what had +happened near the end of the Christmas week, the words seemed to have +a peculiarly sinister meaning in proportion to each one's prejudice. + +Was the sketch of the proposed letter genuine? There was no doubt as +to that in Garrett's mind. Everybody knew Henning's writing. Without +hesitation Garrett pronounced it genuine. + +But what could the letter mean? Had his cousin deliberately planned +the robbery? Smithers believed, or said he believed, this to be the +case. Garrett knew better. In spite of this letter he knew that was +too absurd a notion to entertain. He was, nevertheless, shrewd enough +to see the value of this crumpled note as a weapon of defense for +himself. + +He deliberately put it into his pocket. + +"Hold on there, Garrett!" exclaimed Smithers, "that note belongs to +me." + +"Excuse me," replied Andrew, "but I believe it belongs strictly to Roy +Henning." + +"No, it doesn't. It's my property. I risked--I mean I discovered it, +and it's mine." + +"I beg your pardon, but for the present you may consider it my +property. There may be further risk, you know, for you. It will be +quite safe, I assure you, in my keeping." + +"Well, I'll be hanged!" exclaimed the dismayed Smithers. + +"Shouldn't wonder in the least--some day," replied Garret +imperturbably. + +"But it's mine!" + +"Beg to differ with you. It never was yours. It is mine now, at least +for a time. I haven't decided yet what to do with it--whether to tear +it up, or restore it to its rightful owner." + +He intended to do neither one nor the other. He had formed his plan, +but he had not the slightest intention of taking either Stockley or +Smithers into his confidence. The latter was very angry at the loss of +the letter, but he knew very well that he could not get it back until +Garrett pleased to return it. His ill-humor was not lessened when +Garrett said as he walked away: + +"By the way, I should recommend you to say nothing about this +so-called 'find' of yours, you fellows, for I am strongly under the +impression that it is bogus, and besides, it might be difficult to +convince people you came by it honestly." + +Smithers' eyelids exhibited that nervous twitching more rapidly than +ever. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +A TALK + + +Shealey and Beecham captured Roy Henning and took him for a long +stroll through the woods that Sunday afternoon. He, in the keen +enjoyment of witnessing nature once again awake from its long winter +slumber, for a time forgot his annoyances, and was the merriest of the +three. The time passed as only a bright holiday can pass with the +light-hearted. + +Now there was a hunt for the nimble squirrel, which always got safely +away. Anon there was a plunge into the thickest coppice for spring +flowers. From these dense undergrowths the three more than once +emerged minus the treasures they sought, and plus a number of +scratches on hands and face, and with not a little damage to Sunday +suits. In the sunny spots they found the first delicate fern fronds. +In one particularly romantic spot they found a number of beautiful +fungi. Jack Beecham dexterously made a little birch-bark box, which he +filled with soft green moss, carefully placing his treasures therein. +In their journey they were lucky enough to come across some morels, +and one or two of those vegetable curiosities, the earth-star. With +these boys a ramble into the country was much more than so many steps +taken to a certain spot, and so many back again. Their studies had +sharpened their powers of outdoor observation, so that a walk was an +intellectual exercise as well as a physical one. + +Many times during that afternoon Roy recalled the interview with his +cousin a few minutes before starting, but with a certain determination +he put the matter from his mind for the present, intent on giving +himself entirely to the enjoyment of the beauties of nature on an +ideal spring day, and to the pleasant companionship of two very +delightful fellow-students. For a time he forgot all about Garrett. + +When the journey was near its end; when the tired and healthy, hungry +three were once more nearing the college grounds, the thoughts of what +he had said and done with regard to his cousin, and that same cousin's +noncommittal responses, once more filled Roy's mind and made him +thoughtful and reserved again. + +"There you are!" scolded Jack Beecham; "I do declare, Roy, you ought +to live in the woods altogether. As soon as you come near home you at +once put on a long face, turn down the corners of your mouth, and look +as sour as--as vinegar and water." + +"Yes," added Tom Shealey, "I'm going to call you in future Old +Glum--that's the only name that suits you now. What on earth is the +use of being so sober and somber about things?" + +"Just at present," answered Roy, "I do not think I have anything to +make me unusually cheerful; nothing certainly that would make me dance +and sing with joy." + +"Afraid of your semi-annual exam?" asked Beecham. + +"No. That examination does not bother me. The Little Go, as our +English cousins call it, will, I believe, be somewhat of a picnic for +me." + +"That's what you think," said Jack, "but we don't all think that way, +do we, Tom?" + +"Indeed, no," answered Tom Shealey grimly. The half-yearly had certain +terrors for poor Tom. He had not shone with particular brilliancy in +the examination in minor logic. He assured his friends that the +examiners were unanimous that he had not shown any remarkable +scintillations of genius in his mathematical trial, and the least said +about the opinion entertained of him by his professor in geology and +astronomy, the better for Tom's reputation as a hard student. + +"Well, then, Roy," asked Beecham, "if you are not afraid of the semi, +why do you look so gloomy?" + +"I wish most heartily, Jack, that something would turn up to settle +that wretched robbery business. At all events, one great load is off +my mind. Yesterday I received a letter from my father. I think I have +already told you that he is a pretty stern man. Well, he's all right. +He wrote that he had the fullest confidence in me in this money +business." + +"Whoopla!" shouted Shealey, "good for the old gentleman. Whoop! Don't +you know, old fellow, I was terribly afraid for you from that quarter. +He's a brick!" + +"He tells me that every effort should be made to discover the culprit. +He even said he was willing to bear a good share of the expense of +securing a detective and so forth, considering that his son was the +one who had the management of the funds." + +"What's the matter with Henning pere?" shouted Shealey the +irrepressible. + +"Wait, Tom. He wrote more. He is willing to send me a check for the +seventy-two dollars, if by paying it back into the fund I do not +compromise myself." + +"How? What does he mean?" asked Beecham. + +"This way, I suppose. If I pay it back I shall be considered by some +to have--to speak plainly--to have taken it myself, or to have had +some knowledge of the guilty party, and, consequently, to have +connived at it." + +"Does any living soul in his sound senses, you Don Quixote," exclaimed +Beecham, with an earnestness curiously resembling anger, "for an +infinitesimal moment imagine you knew anything of it!" + +The generous tone of voice, the absolute confidence it displayed, was +grateful and soothing to the worried boy. His suspicions of his own +cousin, which were not dissipated by that afternoon's encounter, was +the difficulty with him now. The letter of his father said: "to have +any knowledge of the guilty party." Of course, conniving was out of +the question. But Garrett! What to think of that which he saw on the +night of the play! Could he have been mistaken? Oh, if Garrett that +afternoon had only openly denied all knowledge of it, how happy Roy +would be now! Under his present knowledge, however, he felt he could +not accept the money from his father. Under a full conviction of his +cousin's guilt he had made that strange promise of silence, and this +he was determined to keep, let come what might. Thus his quandary, +which arose on his part from a certain sense of honor, for he would +not act upon a mere suspicion, and he also earnestly desired to save a +relative the shame of being accused. + +"No, I really believe," said Henning, in answer to Beecham's indignant +question, "I really believe that even those boys who profess to +suspect me do not believe what they say. I do not believe there is a +boy in the yard, nor a single member of the faculty, who has the least +real suspicion that I know anything about the theft." + +"I guess not," said Jack, and then added, "well, then, it's settled, +isn't it?" + +"Unfortunately, no. There is something in this affair, which, until +the robber is caught and the whole question disposed of forever, I can +not mention; yet it is important enough for me to be prevented in +honor from writing for that money." + +Jack Beecham and Tom Shealey looked at each other in blank surprise. +They then indulged in a long stare--not a mere look or glance, but a +long, open stare--at Roy. Under the two pairs of very wide-open eyes +he remained as inscrutable as a sphinx. There was not a movement of +eyes or lips which could give them the slightest clue by which they +might arrive at some understanding of the strange announcement. + +"You don't mean to say," said Shealey, with eyes still wide open, +"that, after all, you are in some way impli--oh! hang it all, I'm +talking nonsense now!" + +Roy Henning burst out laughing. Notwithstanding his worry he enjoyed +his friends' bewilderment. + +"I guess you are," he said. + +"Look here, Mr. Roy Aloysius Henning," said Jack Beecham, "I consider +you the most inexplicable, inexorable, incomprehensible creature on +the face of the footstool. Now look here! No humbug, you know--we, +your friends, I, Tom, and Brose, for here he comes--demand from you an +explanation right here and now. You must tell us the whole affair." + +"No." + +"Yes." + +"No. I can not do it." + +"If you don't do it, I'll----" Jack stopped dismayed. He saw that Roy +was firm. "I'll fling some more big names at you." + +"Can't help it, Jackie. I guess I can stand 'em." + +"But this thing's got to be straightened out!" + +"If so, it has to be done without my taking any part in the +straightening--see?" + +"But, man alive! You are the most interested! If you know anything of +importance, why not inform your friends, and let us ferret out the +truth or falsity of your surmises?" + +"No. It can not be done. If I am to be exonerated from these very +unjust and, I confess, very annoying aspersions, it must be done +gratuitously and of the free will of the person or persons malignant +enough to start the rumors. Do you not see, my friends, that if you +began to move in order to exonerate me, everybody would consider you +as acting as my agents and under my direction----" + +"Quixotic nonsense----" began Beecham. + +"Wait, Jack. This is the penalty you pay for your friendship. I will +tell you this much, in gratitude for your interest and loyalty. I have +made a solemn pledge to keep absolutely silent with respect to any +suspicions I may have until the whole is settled and cleared up." + +"But you in the meantime are suffering!" said Jack. + +"Can't help it. Better suffer than be unjust. Better bear a little, +than perhaps do another an almost irreparable injury." + +His friends began to have some glimmerings of the reasons why he would +not move or be moved. All of them were aware of his delicacy of +conscience. They knew of his high sense of honor, of his exactitude, +which amounted in their eyes to scrupulosity. It was, therefore, with +no small amount of admiration, which, however, they disguised under +much banter and teasing, that they acquiesced in Henning's view of his +own conduct in the matter. + +"Roy, you're a chump!" said Shealey. + +"Yes, and a gump!" added Jack Beecham. + +"And my quota of abuse is," said Bracebridge, who by this time +understood the drift of the talk, "is that you are a--what shall I +say--oh! yes--that you are a frump, whatever that is; it rhymes anyway." + +Roy bowed low, as if receiving compliments and bouquets. When he left +to go to his classroom to write to his father, Jack Beecham said: + +"That fellow is a second Bayard--_sans reproche_." + +"So say all who know him," added Shealey, and Ambrose said: "Amen." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE UNEXPECTED + + +It was remarkable, and even surprised Garrett himself, that Smithers +and Stockley made no capital out of their knowledge of the existence +of what appeared to be an incriminating document. The sketch of the +letter which they had shown with such assurance to Garrett, and which +that individual, with an assumption of superiority that had completely +cowed the two, had coolly kept in his possession, did have something +of a suspicious appearance. + +Why did Garrett retain it? Was it a last card held in reserve to play +against his cousin's hand? Did he believe the letter to be genuine? +Finally, after all, did he wish to spare his cousin? + +At this time this last consideration had no weight with him. He had +various reasons for acting as he had done. One strong one was that he +proposed to hold all the threads of the plot in his own hands and +manipulate them to his own advantage. He was by no means sure how this +evidence of Roy's supposed complicity would be received by the boys. +He felt sure that many would pooh-pooh such a document as worthless. +He did not desire to prove nothing by overstepping the mark in +attempting to prove too much. + +Suspicious as the letter looked objectively, Garrett was not so stupid +as not to know there must be some very good explanation of the words; +although unsupported by an explanation they certainly did appear to +incriminate the writer, in view of all that had happened since they +were penned. + +Smithers saw plainly enough that without the letter being produced +(confound that Garrett's impudence!) his words would have no weight. +This young man was quite well aware that he bore a very odorous--in +fact a malodorous--reputation among even his friends. Many knew of his +despicable ingratitude toward Roy Henning. + +Stockley had a plan of his own which he told to neither Smithers nor +Garrett, and had adopted a Fabian policy. Thus it happened that Roy +Henning was spared the knowledge that one of these boys had in his +possession a copy or draft of a letter of his, which he could, had he +so wished, use against him and thus cause him more annoyance. + +Meanwhile time flew on. The warm weather had come. It was now very +pleasant to be out of doors, and, of course, the great question now +occupying all interest was that of the prospects of the ball team. It +was found to the general satisfaction that there was very good +material after all, in spite of the lack of the winter practice. + +Harry Gill, a fast friend of Henning, and a great supporter of Rob +Jones, was chosen captain and manager. He was a popular boy who could +write a pleasing challenge and gain and retain the good will of those +teams who even refused to play St. Cuthbert's. To the surprise of all +he secured a game with the celebrated Blandyke team, to be played on +the home grounds. This was delightful news for the yard, the more so +because it was so unexpected. + +The Blandykes had assured the St. Cuthbert's boys early in the spring, +that they had played them for the last time, not because of any +disagreement or because they had been beaten previously, but because +their faculty had ruled against the long travel. Yet here was Gill, at +the very opening of the season, securing the first great game without +hitch or flaw, and on the home grounds. + +The boys were jubilant. Their satisfaction was increased when they +learned that Gill, by his irresistible charm of manner, had induced +Henning to practice with the team. He could not get Roy to promise to +play in the match game, but to have him in the practice games was +something. Every one admitted that Roy was an exceptionally fine +player. Much of the beginning of the undercurrent of talk against him +in the previous fall was, it will be remembered, owing to his refusal +to have any more to do with sports, and especially with baseball. + +How could he now reconcile himself to his father's positive injunction +to engage in no sports and yet play practice games? Roy had thought +the matter over and had come to a decision. + +His father had told him there were to be no sports. This he adhered to +scrupulously. His father had said there was to be enough exercise only +by which to keep a sound mind in a sound body. Now to him, as to many +another healthy, hearty boy, after the long dormant months of winter, +there was need of good outdoor exercise. Where could one find it +better than in the great game? But was not this sport, in the +understanding of his father? Roy thought it was not, that is, practice +games were not. With match games it was different. He reasoned that +his father knew that he was athletic, that wheeling could not always +suffice, and that long walks were a mere winter expedient. He +therefore arrived at the eminently satisfactory conclusion that his +father did not intend, when he told him to keep a sound mind in a +sound body, that he should be altogether excluded from the game which, +above all others, was best able to secure that end. Casuists may +argue pro and con on the soundness of Roy's conclusion if they will. +We leave it to them. + +It is well known that there is nothing in a college so well adapted to +the breaking up of animosities and of undesirable alliances and +dangerous particular friendships which lead to no good, as baseball. +The adage, "birds of a feather flock together," is particularly true +of boys at school during the winter season. Crowded together in a +certain circumscribed space of one or two or three halls, according to +the excellence of the college equipment, the very best boys are often +forced to form acquaintances with those with whom they would otherwise +not closely associate. + +This had been particularly the case this year at St. Cuthbert's, owing +to the diversity of opinion as to the question of the identity of the +undiscovered thief. As we know, many boys were inclined to suspect Roy +Henning. Among these were some of the best ball-players. Now Harry +Gill, captain and manager, was substitute pitcher. Stockley was a +splendid first baseman, and could pitch well. Smithers, too, although +not liked generally by the boys, was too fine a player to be ignored. +Beecham, of course, was on the team, as was Bracebridge. Garrett, so +the boys declared, "would have eaten his hat" to have been selected +for a place on the first nine. Gill, however, appointed strictly +according to merit, and Andrew rose no higher than substitute for +third baseman. That, however, was something in a place like St. +Cuthbert's, because the substitutes, beside traveling with the team, +were always the opposing team in practice games, and during the spring +and early summer saw a deal of fine work. + +It is an axiom that in order to play good ball, all differences of +opinion must be dropped. No team could be enthusiastic for victory +with three or four currents of self-interest or animosity thwarting +and dampening all efforts and rendering harmonious and united action +impossible. + +All disagreements had been dropped, or at least hidden away. All were +enthusiastic. When Gill announced to the team that Roy Henning had +consented to play at all practice games, the percentage of enthusiasm, +if it could be measured in that way, rose very high. Now all +bickerings and animosities seemed to be forgotten, and they actually +were for a time. As far as team work went, there was one heart and one +soul. The prospects were indeed bright. + +What a splendid player Roy was! He stood there in the pitcher's box, a +picture of fine young manhood. His long brown hair blowing over his +forehead appeared to get into his eyes at every move. With a graceful +leonine backward movement of the head he would toss the hair out of +his way. He was never excited. He always had his wits about him. In a +critical moment he could be relied upon. He had the habit of keeping a +piece of chewing gum in his mouth. To the uninitiated it appeared the +most important part of the game for him to keep his jaws in steady, +slow motion. Some said it kept him from becoming excited--that the +attention required to keep up the regular, slow motion of his molars +prevented any other kind of distraction. Be this as it may, he never +showed excitement, but was always calm and cool, and not unfrequently +at critical moments exasperatingly slow. + +And then what an arm he had, and what movement! He seemed merely to +put his hand forward and the ball went high, or low, or wherever he +willed. He was a great acquisition to the team. The baseball +enthusiasts, which is equivalent to saying all the boys, certainly had +some excuse for chagrin when, without explanation, he retired from the +game the year before. + +Who does not love the sight of ball-players on the diamond, especially +in the early summer! The bright uniforms, the brighter faces flushed +with the joy of living and of anticipation! Then the merry shout and +laugh! How it makes the blood tingle, and sends the spirit of youth +once more through one's veins! + +In the last practice game before the match with the Blandykes the boys +in their uniforms, white shirts and blue pants, stockings, and caps, +presented a picturesque scene. The kindly sun, as yet not too hot, +flushed their cheeks, while the liquid blue above and the fresh tender +grass beneath their feet lent additional zest to their enjoyment. It +was the first important practice game the boys had played. + +When at length it came to an end all the players clustered around Roy +Henning at the home plate, congratulating him on his pitching. Jack +Beecham and Ambrose stood a little apart, watching the group. + +"Isn't it a pity, Brose, that Roy won't play against the Blandykes +next Tuesday," remarked Jack. + +"Indeed it is--a thousand pities. But you may be sure he knows what he +is doing." + +"Guess he does. But there's a particularly sable individual in the +woodpile somewhere! I wonder what it all means?" + +"Many beside you have wondered," responded Bracebridge. + +"Oh, he must play next week--must, must, we can't do without him! He +must play, and that's all there is about it." + +"I am afraid he won't though. Hello, what's up? Look, here comes Mr. +Shalford. How serious he looks!" + +The two boys touched their hats as the prefect approached. + +"Have you seen Henning, boys? Ah, there he is!" + +The prefect went to the group surrounding their ideal pitcher. They were +using all the art persuasive they could command to extort a promise from +him to play in the forthcoming match game. It is hard to say how much +longer he would have had to withstand their importunities, had they not +suddenly ceased upon catching sight of Mr. Shalford. + +"Henning, I want you." + +Roy disengaged himself from the crowd. + +"Here's a telegram for you. The President told me to give it to you at +once, and you are to go to him immediately." + +Outside of strictly business circles, the arrival of a telegram has +always its preliminary terrors. The yellow missive may contain such +startling news! The message which Roy's father had sent him was +startling enough. It read: + +"Ethel is believed to be dying. Come at once. G. H." + +Roy went over to where Beecham and Bracebridge were standing. Without +a word he placed the telegram in Ambrose's hand. After reading it the +three friends at once moved toward the college. The crowd of boys, +lately so loud and clamorous, were silent now, in the presence of some +unknown calamity. + +Roy walked on as if stunned, for a little while scarcely knowing where +he was going. Jack and Ambrose, after one sympathetic pressure of his +hand, walked with him in silent sympathy. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +THE FAIREST LILY + + +The President was waiting for Henning in his office. The two friends +left Roy at the door, and quietly stole out of the corridor into the +sunshine, where with subdued voices they discussed the misfortune +which was overshadowing their friend. + +"I never knew a boy to meet with so many misfortunes in one year as +Roy has done," said Beecham. + +"It is hard," replied Bracebridge, "but God knows best. I sometimes +think he is being tried, as gold is tried in the furnace, for some +great purpose." + +Beecham was silent. Such thoughts were just a little above Jack's +ordinary plane of thinking. Bracebridge continued: + +"What do you say if, during his absence, we make a grand effort to +find the thief? What a glorious thing it would be if he could come +back cleared of all suspicion!" + +Beecham was never patient when the words "suspicion" and "Henning" +were mentioned in the same connection. This time he said something +quite rough, and, to tell the truth, quite unlike himself. Ambrose +looked up in surprise. + +"You must excuse me. I lose all patience in this affair." + +"All right, old fellow. We will make a big effort, eh?" + +"You may bet your last little round red cent we will." + +Henning reappeared. He had but little time to spare if he would catch +the six o'clock train. By traveling all night he would reach home by +seven o'clock in the morning. Hurriedly changing his clothes, he shook +hands with the two and was driven to the depot. Both promised to write +as soon as there was anything important to write about. + +While Roy Henning is traveling homeward as fast as a night express can +take him, we will explain the reason why the telegram had been sent. +This can not be done better than by going to the Henning home, and +there tracing the course of events. + + * * * * * + +"I think it's real mean to rain like this," said Tommy Henning, early +in the morning of the day on which Roy, his big brother, had received +the alarming telegram. Tommy let his picture book drop to the floor, +and swung his fat little legs backward and forward. Soon tiring of +this, he flattened his nose against the window pane of the +drawing-room where the two children had been trying to amuse +themselves. + +"What's mean, Tommy?" asked his sister, Ethel. + +"Oh, things!" and with this broad generalization he continued to +exercise his legs. "What's the use if it's going to rain all the +time?" + +"But it isn't going to rain all day. It will clear up before long, see +if it doesn't." + +Tommy was a real boy and, like his big brother, hated above all things +to be obliged to remain indoors. It had been raining for twenty-four +hours, and he longed to get outside in the free, fresh air, being +particularly anxious just now to take Ethel for a ride in the boat on +the big pond below the orchard. + +Tommy was sturdy, but his sister was a frail girl, of shy and nervous +disposition. Her chief characteristic was her passionate love for her +brother Tom, who did not show much appreciation of her affection, +because he did not realize its depth. He loved his sister, but in a +somewhat boisterous manner. Not unfrequently he showed his affection +in a way that was rather painful than otherwise to the delicate child. +This was because he did not think. He did not intend to be rough, yet +he secretly thought that it was a hardship that she was not a boy, for +then he could have "lots more fun." They got along well together, +however, and loved each other very dearly. + +True to Ethel's prediction, it soon ceased raining, the clouds +breaking and rolling away in great masses. Tom's vivacity returned +with the sunshine. + +"Ma! ma! may we go down to the pond now, and get some of those +lilies?" begged Tommy, as he rushed into his mother's room. + +"I am afraid not for the present, my son," replied his mother, "at +least Ethel can not go. It is a little chilly after the rain, and +besides, the boat will be full of water." + +Ethel did not really care about going just then, but seeing how +anxious her brother was to enjoy the ride and get the beautiful +flowers, the first lilies of the summer, she also pleaded for +permission. At length under the combined pleading of the two, Mrs. +Henning consented. + +"Now, Tommy," she said, "if I let you go, you must promise me not to +go near the mill-race." + +"All right, Ma; there's lots of room without going near there," and +the handsome little fellow scampered off in high glee, with the full +intention of keeping his promise. + +The injunction was not an unnecessary one. The mill-race was a +dangerous spot. At the sluice there was a considerable current of +water which would take a boat caught in it over the bank and +dangerously dash it into deep water, if it escaped being broken to +pieces on some large boulders which had formerly been a part of the +masonry of an old mill. + +The pond was noted in the neighborhood for the profusion and beauty of +its water-lilies. The children found no greater delight in the summer +than in gathering them and adorning their pretty suburban home with +them. + +The boy found there was not much water in the boat. With Ethel's +assistance he bailed it out and they were soon among the water-lilies. +They formed a pretty picture--these two children, Tom in his white +flannel shirt adorned with a pretty pink tie, a special Christmas gift +of Ethel; she in her pink dress and white sunbonnet, her lap almost +covered with luxuriant flowers. + +"That's enough, Tom; plenty for to-day," said Ethel. + +"All right. Now for a good row around the pond while you cut the +stalks." + +Tommy had a good voice, and as he rowed he began to sing: + + "See our oars with feathered spray + Sparkle in the beam of day, + As along the lake we glide + Swiftly o'er the silent tide." + +The pond was large enough to afford the boy a good pull with the oars. +He enjoyed it immensely. The boat had glided from shore to shore +several times, when Master Tommy Henning began to look for fresh +excitement. Stealthily he began to pull stronger on one oar than on +the other, and so gradually to near the mill-race. + +"Oh, Tom! Tommy! look, look, we are getting near the dam!" shouted +Ethel, very much frightened. + +"That's nothing. There's no danger here," said the boy. He made a +turn, then came nearer than before to the dangerous spot. + +"I'm so frightened! Tom, please, Tom, don't go so near," pleaded +Ethel. + +"That's because you are a girl. If you were a boy you wouldn't be +frightened a little bit." + +He rowed away for a little space, and soon in a spirit of pure bravado +he pulled nearer a few feet. Ethel began screaming with fright. + +"That's just like girls. They always scream at something or other," +said the ungallant Tommy. + +Ethel was very much frightened. She trembled violently, but Tom +affected not to see. With another stroke he went still nearer to the +mill-race. At this Ethel gave a prolonged, agonizing shriek of fear, +which made even her madcap brother feel a little uncomfortable, +although he still persisted in teasing her, for he knew his strength +and as yet had the boat under complete control. + +"I'm going nearer yet, Sis," he said to the greatly frightened little +girl, and began to turn the prow of the boat a little. + +She began one more wild shriek of terror, but stopped suddenly. She +could scream no more. The horror of her perilous position rendered her +mute. She could do nothing but shiver and tremble violently. Her eyes +were wide and staring. + +"What do you stop screaming for? You ain't out of danger yet. Girls +always scream longer than that in one breath." + +There was no reply. Tom looked around to see his sister burst into a +very torrent of tears. This was too much for the boy. + +"Oh, come, Ethel. I was only fooling. Don't cry. There's no danger. +See!" + +He headed the boat in the opposite direction and began to row away +from the dangerous locality. Ethel continued to sob convulsively, +unable to restrain herself. She had been thoroughly frightened, and +now she could not speak. Her eyes were staring wildly; the blue veins +on her forehead stood out rigidly. She seemed choking as if half +stifled with the horror she had felt. Tom was now heartily ashamed of +himself, and heartily wished he had not disobeyed. + +"Stop crying, Ethie, and I'll give you my new box of paints," said he +anxiously. + +The magnitude of the inducement was the measure of Tom's anxiety. But +with even this tempting offer of his greatest wealth, she could not +refrain from weeping and sobbing. + +"I never thought you would take on so, or I never would go near the +old thing. I just did it for fun," urged the boy persistently. All his +coaxing was of no avail and he became alarmed at her hysterical +sobbing. To add to his confusion, as he neared the boat-landing he saw +his mother standing on the bank. She had heard the screaming, and +rushed down to the pond, fearing some accident had happened. + +"What have you been doing to your sister?" she asked sternly. + +"I thought I would scare her a little bit--only a little, though; +that's all, Mama." + +"And you went near the dam?" + +"Not very close--true if I did. There was no danger." + +Ethel's pale face and hysterical weeping told how near he had been. + +"Go to the house, sir, and stay there for the rest of the day," said +his mother, in a tone Tommy knew from experience was not to be +disobeyed. + +This was a great punishment for Tommy, for, of all things, he loved to +be out of doors in the free air of heaven. There was, however, a +certain manliness about the little fellow, so he went to his +punishment without a word. He could not understand why his sister had +screamed so much, and more especially why she did not now stop crying. + +Ethel did not easily recover from her fright. Her mother brought her +to the house and laid her on a cushioned lounge, where she remained +all the afternoon completely prostrated. Tommy was told to stay in the +same room, which he did more or less sulkily. He thought his +punishment excessive, and he showed his resentment to his sister by +being a little bit cross to her. Early in the afternoon he worked +himself into the belief that he was actually the injured one. All this +was a proceeding most unusual with Tommy. + +The little girl lay on the lounge quite weakened and very sick from +her adventure. She did not move, but lay still and quiet, with an +occasional hard sob, resembling the last muttering of a storm in the +distance. Toward four o'clock of that long afternoon she said faintly +to her brother: + +"Tommy, I am so thirsty; will you get me a drink?" + +Now Master Tom was still quite ill-tempered and, contrary to his usual +custom, very much disinclined to oblige her. Seeing a glass of water +on the table, he handed it to her, saying: + +"Here's some. Drink this." + +She touched her feverish lips to it and said: "It's quite warm. It has +been here all day. Mama brought it in this morning for the canary." + +"Well, it's good water, anyhow," said Master Tommy, and he went back +to his seat and sulked. + +She sighed and closed her eyes without allaying her thirst. Presently +Mrs. Henning came into the room, and saw, with alarm, that Ethel was +in a high fever. She telephoned at once for the family physician, who +was in his office when the message came. When he came he looked very +grave, and declared that the child would not live more than +twenty-four hours. The physician knew Ethel's constitution well. She +had grown up an extremely delicate child. He gave no hope of her +recovery. He declared the attack had been brought on by some unwonted +exertion beyond her strength, or by some extraordinary strain caused +by great fear or overwhelming grief. When told of what had occurred on +the pond he shook his head ominously, and frankly told the mother to +expect the worst, recommending, as a conscientious physician, that a +priest be called without delay. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE PASSING OF ETHEL + + +As soon as Tommy realized that Ethel was really sick there came a +revulsion of feeling such as all generous natures are subject to. He +was no longer angry or sulky. He racked his brains to discover means +by which he could make amends for his unkindness of the afternoon. + +Tommy had one great treasure which no one was allowed to touch. This +was a precious silver mug, a birthday present. He never used it except +on some very extraordinary occasion. It was rarely taken from his +mother's china-closet, where it occupied a place of honor. Now he +thought of this mug, but first he took a pitcher out to the pump and +used the handle vigorously until his arms ached. He then went to the +cupboard and took out his great treasure, carrying it and the pitcher +to where Ethel was lying. + +"Sissie dear," he said softly, "I'm awful sorry I've been mean to you +'s afternoon. I didn't know you were sick, sure. If I had known that +I'd got you a barrelful of water, sure I would." + +Ethel opened her eyes with a pleasant smile. She knew that Tommy loved +her. He was trying to make amends. That was enough to make her happy. + +"Here, Ethel, dear. I've brought you the coldest water I could get +from the well, and here's my silver cup to drink it out of." + +The little sufferer was now too far gone to care for water. Wishing to +respond to her brother's kindness she took the mug and put it to her +lips, as if drinking a long draught. But Tommy saw she was not +drinking. + +"Why, Ethel, you only make believe! Don't be afraid to drink. I'll +keep on carrying in pitchers all night if you want 'em. 'Taint no +trouble at all for me." + +Ethel saw his generosity of purpose and smiled again. + +"Drink some more, Ethel. It's good." She could not resist such +importunity, and she drank some of the water, more than she needed, in +order to please him. + +Tommy exaggerated his fault in his own eyes. Now, in order to make +amends, he strove urgently to make his sister drink, coaxing her at +least every ten minutes to do so, until at last she was fain to tell +him it was impossible for her to take any more. If he could not make +her drink, he could, nevertheless, keep the water cool, so he changed +it at least every fifteen minutes. Who shall say but what the angels +carried these crude acts of reparation to the Mercy Seat, and brought +back blessings for sorrowful Tommy? + +Ethel realized that she was very ill. The doctor's grave face +confirmed her worst fears. She did not fear to die. Had she not gone +to confession every week for a year past, and although the pure little +child knew it not, the good priest knew full well that for weeks +together he scarcely found matter for absolution. She did not want to +die, not yet at least, if it were the will of God, until she had made +her First Communion. Her pure soul had not yet been strengthened by +the Bread of Angels. How ardently for months she had longed for the +day of her First Communion, and now it seemed so hard to die before +that great event. Would not the sweet Jesus spare her at least until +she could receive Him! Long and earnestly, on her couch of suffering, +she prayed that she might receive this supreme happiness. She knew +that she was dying. The frightful pain in her back told her, as she +lay there in such helplessness, that her weakness could not long +battle against so sudden and so violent an attack. But oh, to be +deprived of the great privilege! + +"Lord, I am not worthy! Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst come +to me! Come, oh, come, my Lord Jesus!" she repeated again and again, +between her acts of contrition. + +It was in this hour of supreme suspense and anxiety of her parents +that Ethel's beautiful character shone forth. Patient, humble, +thankful for the least kindness shown, or office performed for her, +she fairly broke the heart of father and mother, who now realized, +more completely than ever, what a beautiful treasure they were losing. + +The priest was grieved to see this stricken one of his flock. Ethel's +eyes brightened when she saw him. He heard the child's last confession +and administered Extreme Unction. Long the confession lasted--those +guileless self-accusations of an almost guiltless soul. When the +family were re-admitted they saw that both priest and penitent had +been weeping. + +"Has the poor child told you her greatest desire, Father?" asked the +grieving mother. + +"Yes. I have no hesitation in giving her Holy Communion. She was +sufficiently prepared a year ago. If you will make the proper +preparations I will bring the Holy Sacrament and administer First +Communion." + +Not until Tommy saw the priest visit the house, and learned that his +sister had been anointed did he realize that she was dangerously ill. +When the priest left, he rushed to the couch, and kneeling, took +Ethel's hand and covered it with tears and kisses, crying passionately +with heartrending sobs: + +"Ethel, Ethel, Ethel! don't die, don't die yet! Ask God and His Mother +to make you well again. You know they will if you ask them." His cry +was an unconscious tribute to his sister's goodness. + +Ethel waited with joy and calmness the approach of her Lord. Very soon +the priest, bearing the Sacred Host, arrived and the whole household +assembled to honor the divine Visitor, and to pray for the departing +soul. + +Notwithstanding her intense pain, Ethel appeared to be in a transport +of joy. Her calm, waxlike face was faintly flushed at the fulfilment +of her ardent longings. As she lay making fervent acts of love and +thanksgiving, she resembled an angel rather than a child of human +clay. So thought her spiritual director as he gave her the last +absolution and blessing and began to recite the prayers for the dying. + +Tommy's grief became deeper and more demonstrative. His mother gently +drew him into the next room, telling him it was for Ethel's good, as +he was disturbing her recollection and happiness. With this assurance +he became content, although he sobbed as if his heart would break. + +Silently, and in helpless, though resigned, anguish the father and +mother watched through the long night the flickering spark of life +fade and expire. More than once during these long hours they believed +the beautiful soul had flown to God, its Maker. Hoping against hope, +they earnestly desired that she might last until Roy should reach home +at seven, but about three the end came. + +"Fetch the boy," said the father, in a whisper. Mrs. Henning softly +left the room. She found Tommy, his face all tear-stained, asleep on +the mat just outside the door. Gently waking him, she told him to come +to Ethel. The boy, alert in a moment at the sound of her name, came +slowly into the room. Neither father nor mother spoke, but the latter +led him to the couch where lay the lifeless form of his sister still +holding the crucifix in her hand. Her pure soul had flown. + +Seeing that she had passed away, the boy bent down and kissed her +white forehead and her lips. His mother involuntarily moved a step +nearer, intending to catch and console him in his first wild burst of +grief. To her surprise the boy neither wept nor spoke. He took one +long look at the placid face of his dead sister, and turned away, +going out into the open air of the warm night. By the first gray +streaks of dawn he wandered through the garden path down to the pond. +There lay the boat as he had left it, half drawn up on the shore, and +there, withered, lay the lilies she had gathered. The boy remembered +how she had used all her little strength to pull up one large bud. She +had, at length, laughingly succeeded, dropping it into the boat and +letting the long stalk hang in the water. + +As the gloaming of the sad day of the funeral drew on Tommy took his +beads from his pocket. Then came the realization that he was alone to +say them. + +"Ethel! Ethel!" he cried, and the floodgates of his tears were open. +Big, strong Roy caught him up in his arms as he would a baby. There +Tommy, resting his tired little head on his big brother's breast, wept +unrestrainedly. + +On the day of the passing of Ethel Roy pondered long about sending a +message to his friends at St. Cuthbert's. He could not decide to whom +to send it. Bracebridge, Beecham, Shealey, Gill, and Jones, all were +thought of, but he remained undecided. While thinking over this, his +aunt, Andrew Garrett's mother, entered the room. Roy loved this good +and beautiful woman almost as much as he loved his own mother, whom +she was supporting and comforting in her sudden affliction. + +"I am glad you received my telegram in time," she said. "You will be +just now such a support and comfort to your mother and father, Roy, in +their sorrow." She kissed him on the forehead. + +"When the sickness came to Ethel," she continued, "they were both too +distracted by grief to think of sending for you, so I wired in your +father's name." + +Roy made up his mind about his message. He filled out a blank: + +"Dear Andrew: Ethel passed away at three. Pray and get prayers for +her. I know you will. Roy." + +For many a long day after, Roy Henning had reason to bless the +influence which prompted him to send this message to his cousin, +rather than to any one else. The message had the effect of working a +wonderful change in Andrew Garrett, so that when Roy next saw him, he +scarcely recognized him. Many strange things will happen before Roy +again sees his cousin. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +ROY AND HIS FATHER + + +When, in four or five days, the grief in the household had subsided +sufficiently to lose some of its poignancy, Mr. Henning called his son +to his study for the purpose of having a long talk with him concerning +his prospects and the affairs at St. Cuthbert's. He was still under +the impression that the extraordinary test to which he had submitted +his son was a wise one. + +The two sat opposite each other in large, leather-covered reading-chairs +in a very wealthy man's private "den." Roy waited respectfully for +his father to begin. Full of the thoughts of Ethel, he began to speak +of his recent loss. + +"So the poor child is gone, gone! I never thought she would last very +long; she was too frail and delicate. If she had grown up I am sure +she would have become a nun. Ah, that reminds me! Do you still hold to +the notion you mentioned to me last summer?" + +"Of the priesthood? Most assuredly, sir." + +"Humph!" + +The white whiskers looked whiter as the florid face became more +florid. + +"H--um! So! I thought then that it was a mere passing fancy of yours, +and that it would soon go. As you have asked for no more money than +the small--yes, very small--allowance I settled on, I began to +think--yes, I began to believe, that you had more of the Henning +family spirit--yes, more of the real family spirit--than at first I +gave you credit for. So far, so good. So you are determined, if +possible, to become a priest?" + +"Yes, sir," said the young man firmly. + +"Now tell me, my boy, how you have passed through the tests I set." + +Roy was silent. He thought of the many times he had experienced more +or less bitterly rebellious thoughts against these tests. + +"Don't be afraid, Roy. Speak plainly. Have you failed?" + +"No, father," he answered emphatically; "I have not." + +"That is good. I am very glad to hear that." + +"I confess that it was very hard. Frequently I felt like writing to +you about the prohibition of sports and of my--my shortness of cash." + +"So most of your troubles came from lack of cash, eh?" + +"Oh, no! Really the greatest test of obedience I have ever had was to +follow your instruction strictly when you declared that I should +engage in no sports except enough to keep a sound mind in a sound +body." + +"Yes, I remember to have said that." + +"That, sir, was a hard blow to me. All the unpleasantness of the year +has arisen from trying to be faithful to your command." + +"How so? Explain." + +"As you know, I am an enthusiastic and pretty good ball-player." + +"Yes, I have heard enough about that to be well acquainted with the +fact." + +"And I am a good all-round athlete as well. As a consequence, I stood +high in the councils of the college athletic circles. When I announced +my intention of retiring from the football eleven, and the baseball +nine there was a good deal of disagreeable talk. I must confess, +father, this was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my whole life." + +"So?" + +"Yes, and the worst of it was I was made miserable by insinuations and +innuendos that I had betrayed the college teams. I was disloyal. I was +acting out of pique or spite. This was all very hard to bear because I +was actuated by the very best intentions. I wanted to prove to you +that I was a dutiful and obedient son." + +"I never doubted that, my boy, never for a moment doubted that!" + +"I thank you, sir." + +"Poor lad! all this is too bad; but tell me about the robbery. By the +way, you never sent for that check; but tell me all about it, that is, +as far as it concerns yourself." + +"I will, sir. Not being allowed to engage in any sports by your +orders, I did not see why I could not make myself useful in some other +way. Late in the fall there was much talk about the following season's +games. In order to keep the team in practice it was decided to take up +a collection among the boys and purchase a pitcher's cage, to be +placed in the playroom, where indoor practice could be had all the +winter. The boys appointed me solicitor and treasurer. I kept the +money in the table-drawer in the committee-room off the playroom. From +that drawer the money was stolen. What made my chagrin the deeper was +that I had been warned by a close friend to place the money with the +college treasurer for safer keeping. This I intended to do, but during +the Christmas holidays it escaped my memory." + +"I do not see why you could not have written for that check. As far as +I can see there is nothing in all this story to prevent you from +replacing the money. Surely you and your cousin Andrew did everything +in your power to trace the thief and get the money back?" + +Here was a critical moment for Roy. Blood is thicker than water with +the father as well as the son. Mr. Henning never dreamed but that +Andrew would make this a family affair and exert himself with his +cousin to recover the stolen money. It was a temptation for Roy. +Should he expose Andrew's conduct? Should he permit his father to know +that he had a nephew who was selfish and cowardly and mean, and not +above trading upon another's reputation? Roy had to think rapidly in +making up his mind what to do. His father's keen eyes were upon him. +The old gentleman was awaiting an answer. Roy's good angel prevailed. +The boy replied: + +"Everything, I believe, was done that could be done to detect the +thieves by myself and my friends, but without success. Had we found +the thief and discovered that the money had been disposed of beyond +recovery I should then have written gladly to you to replace it, after +your generous offer." + +"That's right; that's right." + +"But," continued Roy with some hesitation, which his father did not +fail to notice, "affairs turned out so differently from what I +expected. Whether from natural causes, or from design, I do not know, +but there were two or three opinions soon prevalent about the robbery, +and there was one party who--who gave it out that they--they suspected +me." + +"Suspected you!" almost shouted the lawyer. "The scoundrels! Who were +they, Roy; who were they?" + +"Some whose names are not worth mentioning, and whose reputations are +still worse." + +"Dear me, dear me! The rascals, to suspect my son!" fumed the old man. +He walked excitedly up and down the room. By some occult process he +connected these suspicions with his son's stringency of cash, and +blamed himself in proportion to his indignation. + +"My boy, my boy! this is all too bad, too bad! If I had allowed you +your regular amount all this would not have happened. Such a thing +could not then have happened." + +"I do not see that, father, unless by having plenty of money as usual +I should not have undertaken the treasurership. I do not see how this +consequence flows from the premises. Indeed I think it more than +likely had matters been normal with me I should have been treasurer +just the same." + +"Well, we must rectify all this. You want to go back to St. +Cuthbert's, or do you wish to stay away?" + +"I want to go back, sir, of course, and graduate. And please, father," +said Roy right loyally, "please do not think these few boys represent +St. Cuthbert's. There are not a finer set of fellows in the world. +These I spoke of are the exceptions." + +This remark thoroughly pleased the father who was himself an alumnus +of old St. Cuthbert's. + +"And besides," continued the young man, "I want to go back and live +down the ugly rumor--for that is all it is--and make somebody eat his +words. I know, I feel certain it will come out all right. Matters +always do. I want to be there. If I were to stay away now, would it +not be, at least for some, a sort of tacit acknowledgment, or at least +it might be so construed by some unfriendly to me, who might say I +knew more than I chose to tell and so kept away as soon as I had a +chance to do so?" + +"You are right, my boy; you are right. Go back and fight it down. +Suspected of dishonesty! A Henning, too, preposterous! Yes, yes, you +must go back, boy. You must go back." + +"I am glad you look at it in that light, sir. I think it the best +thing to do." + +Mr. Henning drew from his pocket a bunch of keys. Opening his desk he +took out a roll of bills. + +"You must consider your test, your trial, as over. It is over as far +as I am concerned, and I am more than satisfied with you. You are free +now to take up what sports you like, and spend, in moderation, what +money you like, and in fact I leave your course of action entirely to +yourself. I am sure I need have no fear for your prudence. Here, take +this; you will need it." + +Mr. Henning handed over to his son a fair-sized roll of bills. How +much he gave we will not state, but leave the amount to the +imagination of the reader, merely remarking that Mr. Henning was a +very rich man, did few things by halves, and, at the moment, was +actuated by the most generous impulse. In giving Roy the money, he +remarked: "Give your cousin Andrew twenty-five dollars, with my +regards. I suppose schoolboys are never very flush at this time of the +year. I never was." + +While Roy, with a bounding heart, was thanking his father, a loud ring +of the door bell disturbed the quiet of the house. In a moment one of +the servants brought in a telegram. + +"For Master Roy, sir," she said. + +With a bow and a "Permit me" to his father, Roy opened the envelope +and read: + +"Come at once. Great news! St. C. 8. B. 3. Ambrose." + +The mystified boy showed the telegram to his father. + +"Perhaps the first part refers to the robbery. You had better go. Can +you bid your mother and aunt farewell and be ready at the depot by +7.30?" + +"Yes, quite easily." + +"Very good. The carriage will be ready for you to catch the 7.30 +train." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +THE GREAT BLOW + + +Notwithstanding the death of his little sister, Roy left home with a +lightened heart, owing to the more perfect and decidedly pleasanter +understanding with his father. Had he not full permission to play +ball, or do anything else he chose! If the reader thinks this was a +small reason for being light-hearted, then it is safe to say that same +reader never was a boy. Every real boy knows what that permission +meant. Roy, as we know, was conscientious. We know the struggle he +went through. We know some of the unpleasant consequences which +followed from conscientiously carrying out his father's wishes. Just +in proportion as the restriction had been bitter, this freedom now was +sweet. He was a strong, healthy, vigorous boy, all his life used to +outdoor exercise, delighting in all manly sports. Now he was free +again! Free to enjoy it all! The promised delights appeared all the +more entrancing from his long abstention from them. Would he not +surprise the boys! No, he would give the credit, all of it, to Harry +Gill. He would make it appear that the manager's diplomacy had been +irresistible. Gill should have an extra feather in his cap! + +And Garrett! What a pity he was developing such undesirable traits of +character! Could he not be weaned in some way from those companions +with whom at present he seemed so infatuated? Roy was convinced that +he was not really a bad fellow at heart. How could he be with such a +mother as Aunt Helen? Was there ever a finer, more lovable woman, +except his own mother? Her gentle touch, her womanly way, her wise and +soothing words! What a treasure Andrew had, did he but realize it! No, +he could not be really bad with her influence, and the memory of her, +and her prayers for him! + +These were some of the thoughts which passed through Roy's mind as the +train sped along in the darkness. Then he remembered Bracebridge's +telegram. He took it out of his pocket and read it again. He puzzled +again over those words "Come at once." What could they mean? Had the +thief been discovered? + +His heart gave a great leap at the thought. But what if, after all, +his suspicions had been well founded! What if the thief should prove +to be Andrew Garrett! The thought made him sick at heart; and yet--and +yet! oh, he must be mistaken in that surmise! Ambrose would not have +wired him to come at once had the guilt been traced to Garrett. He +would certainly have been in no hurry to bring him back to so +unpleasant a state of affairs. In that supposition it would have been +"great news" indeed, but most disastrous news. No, it must be some one +else, if the message meant what he hoped it did mean. + +"And so the first great match has come off victoriously," he said to +himself. "Good! good!" + +He fell into a train of pleasant thoughts during which he looked so +bright and so happy that an old lady on the opposite seat, who had +watched him for some time, smiled kindly at him. Roy returned the +smile. She was quite advanced in years and evidently traveled but +rarely. She liked the look of the bright, handsome face before her, +whose youthful sparkling eyes spoke goodness and enthusiasm, and +whose clear skin at this moment showed a decided flush of joy. + +"Are you going home?" she ventured timidly. + +"No, ma'am. I'm leaving home." + +She looked puzzled. It was contrary to her experience to see children +so happy on leaving home. Roy enjoyed her puzzled look for a minute, +and then explained: + +"I am not going home, but I have just left the best father and mother +in the world, and am now going back to school to join the best and +truest friends a fellow could find anywhere on this round earth." + +"Is that so! I am glad to hear it. If they are all like you they must +be good boys." + +Roy actually blushed. Just then the conductor called the old lady's +station. As she arose and with the assistance of Roy gathered her +traveling impedimenta, she said: + +"Keep that bright smile, my dear, and remember that no one can keep so +bright a face unless he keeps a bright soul within. I am an old woman, +and I know what I say." + +Now while Roy retires to his sleeper to get as much rest as is +possible on the rail, we will hurry forward and learn why he was wired +to come at once, and find out what has been happening during the last +few days at St. Cuthbert's. + +The Blandyke team arrived before noon on the day Ambrose had sent the +message to his friend. Their manager told Gill that the condition of +their coming was that they returned on the 3.50 train of that +afternoon. The game, consequently, began at one o'clock. It was over +by three, with the result already known. + +The day had been extremely hot, with not a breath of air stirring. The +atmosphere was stifling. All nature seemed to be in a dead calm. Even +the dogs sought shady spots and lay still and panted. The afternoon +seemed more oppressive than an August day, because so early in the +summer every one was unaccustomed to the great heat. + +As the game was finished by three o'clock on a recreation day, there +were three vacant hours before supper time. Owing to the unusual +sultriness few cared to tramp over the hills, or along the lower road of +the valley. A few, however, started out, either to walk, or hunt black +squirrels on the higher, wooded grounds in the rear of the college. + +About four a slight breeze began to blow from the southwest, cooling +the atmosphere very considerably. + +"Ah, that's fine!" said Jack Beecham, as he faced the breeze and +filled his lungs with the cooler air. "That's fine! My, but it was +hot! Never knew it so hot in May before in my life. Oh, look, +Ambrose," and he pointed to the direction from which the breeze was +coming, "look at that queer-shaped cloud!" + +Bracebridge looked toward the southwest. Dark, coppery clouds were +forming and rapidly approaching. The temperature dropped suddenly many +degrees. The cooler breeze became stronger and soon it was a wind. +Before many minutes elapsed it was a very high wind in which it was +difficult to stand steadily. + +Suddenly a brilliant flash of lightning leaped from the now leaden +sky. The boys could hear the electric discharge snap and crackle +against the sides of the buildings. It was followed almost instantly +by a deafening crash of thunder, tropical in its intensity. Down came +the rain, not in drops, but apparently in sheets of water. Flash +followed flash, peal succeeded peal, and the wind grew more furious +every moment. + +Bracebridge, Shealey, Beecham, and Harry Gill watched the terrific war +from the Philosophy classroom window. + +Ever and anon the downpour would cease, but the wind did not abate. At +intervals could be seen the havoc the wind was doing. The air was +thick with leaves and twigs and straw. In the lowlands the boys saw +the rail fences carried away like matches and deposited over the +fields. An old wooden windmill tower was toppled over. Boards and +shingles and slates were flying everywhere. + +All knew that such violent warfare must be brief. Already in the west +there was a streak of light beneath the clouds. Before the storm had +spent its fury the watchers at the window were to witness a remarkable +sight. + +Behind the college there was, as has often been remarked, thickly +wooded high ground. The boys at the window were watching the hillside +path, which every now and then was obscured by the rain. Suddenly a +forked bolt struck the largest tree on the hillside, and hurled to the +ground across the college walk at least one-third of it. The boys +looked at each other in a frightened way. In the mind of each was: +"What if the college had been struck!" + +When the deafening thunder-crash had passed, Bracebridge, for the sake +of saying something, remarked: + +"It's lucky that none of us were out in such a storm." + +"We would have been nicely drenched, eh?" said Tom Shealey. + +"No one of common-sense would be out," said Beecham; "all would run to +shelter somewhere." + +"But some may have been too far away to reach it. You know how sudden +the storm was," observed Bracebridge. + +"What on earth is that?" suddenly exclaimed Tom Shealey, as he pointed +to something or some one crossing the yard. After the last thunder-crash +the rain had ceased suddenly. The wind dropped, and the storm, furious +while it lasted, spent itself. The boys threw open the classroom window +to get a better view of the yard. Some one had entered from the field +gate nearest the woods. He was drenched; his hat was gone; his hair +dishevelled. He was white and frightened. Although his clothes clung to +his skin he was making violent, meaningless gestures as he ran, and +appeared to be gibbering or muttering something as if in that stage of +fright which borders on imbecility. + +"It is Smithers," shouted Shealey. "Let's go and see what's up. +Hurry!" + +"What's up, Smithers? What's happened?" asked Shealey, a moment later, +hatless and breathless. + +The frightened boy had a scared, wild look. He muttered something +quite unintelligible. His lips were dry and white. + +"Now be calm. Tell us quietly what has happened," said Bracebridge. + +Smithers again gibbered something. The listeners could make nothing of +it. They began to think the boy had lost his reason. + +"--prefect--dead--struck--innocent," were some of the words caught by +the listening boys. + +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Beecham, "the prefect is dead, struck by +lightning, up on the hill walk. Is that it, Smithers?" + +The one appealed to, not fully comprehending the question, and half +beside himself, nodded assent. + +"Gill, quick, go at once to the President. Then take care of this +fellow. Send a priest as soon as you can up the hill. Jack and Tom, +you come with me." + +Ambrose naturally assumed the leadership in the emergency. The three +ran along the walk and up the hillside path as fast as their legs +could carry them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +THE FALLEN TREE + + +Having seen from the classroom a large part of the great oak fall when +the bolt came, the three boys supposed that was the spot where the +tragedy must have taken place. They noticed the havoc the storm had +wrought. Many large limbs of trees were scattered across their path. +In several places the walk was washed out, leaving large gullies. On +the thickly wooded hillside the damage was the greatest. + +Arriving at the oak tree they were at a loss. They saw no sign of any +human being. They picked up Smithers' plaid cloth cap which he had +lost in his wild flight homeward. Beecham began to beat it against a +young sapling to rid it of some of the mud. + +"We must go farther yet. This is not the place," said Ambrose. + +Fully one-third of the great oak tree had been riven from the trunk. +It lay across their path, necessitating a detour amid the still +dripping underbrush to pass it. The oak was in the full of its early +summer foliage, forming an impenetrable green wall across the hillside +path. + +As they were threading their way through the thick low growth on the +upper side, Jack Beecham glanced into the dense mass of fallen +foliage. His eyes were caught by something black beneath the green. +Thinking it was perhaps an old log, blown there by the storm before +the lightning damaged the oak, he was about to pass on, but gave a +second look. The black thing under the leaves was surely not a bough! +Again he peered into the tree-top. + +"Great heavens! there he is under that oak!" he said. + +The three pushing aside the boughs saw the bleeding, white face of +some one who was apparently dead. + +"Poor Mr. Shalford!" exclaimed Shealey. + +"Nonsense! Don't you see that's not Mr. Shalford at all. It's one of +the boys. Who can it be?" + +They all looked again into the leaves, and were satisfied that it was +not their prefect. + +"Who is it?" asked Shealey. + +"I believe it is--it is Stockley," said Bracebridge. + +"You don't say!" exclaimed Shealey, "at all events we must get him out +of that tangle, dead or alive." + +"I don't believe that oak killed him, anyway," remarked Jack Beecham. + +"Why?" asked Ambrose, in a whisper, for in the presence of death they +were awed. + +"Look here," said Beecham, "no big limb has reached him. These twigs +and leaves would give one a sharp switch when falling, and probably +knock him down, but they are too small to break any bones." + +"Maybe that's true. Well, we shall soon find out," said Ambrose. "Now, +boys, how are we to get him clear of that tree-top?" + +They procured a strong stick, and while two lifted as many of the +small boughs as they could, Bracebridge pushed the pole over the +prostrate body. He then raised his end, the other being on the ground +on the other side of the body. The two other boys took hold of +Stockley's shoulders and successfully drew him from under the tree, +as, fortunately, he had not been caught by any of the larger limbs. +Gently as possible they drew him out from under the mass of foliage, +but gentle as they were, they necessarily used some force. To their +surprise--and satisfaction--they heard him groan. He was not dead +after all, but undoubtedly badly hurt. + +No sooner had Stockley been extricated than Mr. Shalford appeared. The +boys who were bending over the prostrate body looked up. + +"Oh, sir!" said Ambrose, "we thought it was you," and he pointed to +Stockley. There was love in the tone, making Mr. Shalford treasure the +simple words for many a day. + +"Why?" + +"That stupid Smithers said so. I think he was too frightened to know +what he was saying." + +The moving of Stockley restored him to a state of semi-consciousness, +in which he talked incoherently. One arm hung loosely, evidently +broken above the elbow. When touched in the ribs the suffering boy +groaned aloud, so that it was quite probable that some were fractured. +There was a cut on the forehead, and another on the lower lip. The +injuries, as far as could be then learned, while serious, were not +necessarily fatal. + +A priest from the college having arrived, the rest withdrew some paces +while the minister of God tried to elicit some act of conscious sorrow +for sin. It seemed to the boys that he succeeded, for from the +distance they saw him raise his hand and make the sign of the cross as +in sacramental absolution. + +"I do not think he will die," said the priest as the others drew near. +"See there, that is what must have done the mischief. He was caught up +here in the wind-storm, and one of those dead limbs struck him. You +say you found him beneath the tops of the fallen oak. Those twigs +could not have inflicted these injuries." + +Intermittently Stockley muttered incoherent words. Bracebridge and +Beecham knelt on either side of him, nervously anxious to catch every +sound. Unknown to each other, both had simultaneously formed a strange +suspicion. Once both distinctly heard the words: "Clear--Henning." +What could that mean? They caught the word "letter," but to neither +did this convey intelligence, because neither knew of the existence of +the copy or draft of that letter which Roy Henning had written to some +unknown friend. They heard other disconnected words, for instance, +"sweater," and "Garrett," but these words had no meaning for them. +They did not, for all that, lose a single word, but stored up +everything in their memories, being sure that something would +come of it in good time. + +Harry Gill and others arrived with a wire mattress, the best temporary +substitute for a stretcher. There was no lack of willing hands to +convey the injured boy down the hill to the infirmary. + +Gill's report of Smithers' frantic words spread like wildfire in the +yard. Most of the boys believed the kindly prefect had been killed by +a falling tree. Few had seen him after the report began, because he +had at once started for the walk. + +Notwithstanding the appalling nature of the accident, when the boys +saw Mr. Shalford return safe and sound they could scarce refrain from +giving a hearty cheer. One began to wave his hat and was on the point +of opening his mouth. Mr. Shalford was immensely surprised at such a +strange proceeding at such a solemn moment, never for a moment +dreaming it was all for him. He stopped all noise with an imperative +"Hush!" + +All the boys clustered around the infirmary steps awaiting the +reappearance of the prefect. In about half an hour he came. He told the +boys the extent of Stockley's injuries, and said that it was the +physician's opinion that none of the wounds were likely to prove fatal. + +"Hurrah for Mr. Shalford!" shouted George McLeod. + +"McLeod, are you taking leave of your senses? If you don't be quiet +I'll send you back to Mr. Silverton to the division yard." + +But the boys took up McLeod's lead and gave three cheers for the +prefect. + +"And what on earth is that for?" he asked. + +"Why, sir, don't you know? Smithers said you were killed!" + +"Smithers was too excited to know what he was saying." + +"But you are not killed--that's the point. Hurrah!" In spite of himself +the prefect was again cheered. Do what he would, put his fingers to his +lips, point to the infirmary, wave down the noise with his hand, he +could not stop the boys giving one more shout for his safety. + +When Bracebridge and Beecham were again alone in their room, the +former said: + +"What do you make of it all?" + +"I think it is very important." + +"I think so too." + +"You heard all he said?" + +"Every word." + +"I am not sure," said Jack, "but I believe there is a rift in the +cloud for dear old Roy. Fancy, Brose! suppose this wounded boy should +know all about the robbery!" + +"And we could make him tell," added Bracebridge. + +"I tell you what I think," continued Jack, "it is my conviction that +he not only knows all about the thieving, but that he----" + +"Oh, don't say that," urged Ambrose. "I know what you think. I believe +I think the same, but don't like to give it expression." + +"I don't mind doing so if it will lead to the clearing of Henning." + +"I wish I knew what he meant--what was on his mind when he mentioned +Garrett and his sweater! And what could he mean by repeating +frequently, 'letter, letter, Garrett.' It's all a mystery to me as +yet. I do wish Roy was here. Maybe he knows what the words mean. +Perhaps Roy could get Stockley to tell who the thief was, that is, +supposing he really knows." + +"It seems clear to me," said Beecham, "that Stockley knows something. +But who can say what that something is? Say! Suppose you telegraph for +Henning. Give him to-day's score, too. He'll want to know that." + +"That's a great idea. I'll do it," said Ambrose. + +"All right. Do it at once, so that he may get the message in time to +start to-night and be here early to-morrow morning, should he consider +the affair important enough." + +Thus the telegraphic message was sent to Roy Henning. + +When Smithers had recovered from his fright sufficiently to be able to +talk sensibly, Beecham and Shealey plied him with questions about the +accident. He said, substantially: + +"We were at the other end of the forest path when the storm came +up--Stockley and I. We took shelter in the cave for some time until +the water began to flow in from above and drove us out. Then we made +for home. It was very dangerous. Sticks and limbs were flying in all +directions. We had passed the big oak by about thirty feet when +Stockley was struck by a piece of a branch about four feet long and as +thick as your arm. It hit him on the arm and on the chest or side. He +fell with a scream. At that moment there came a brilliant flash, and a +bolt of lightning struck quite close to us, blinding me for a few +seconds. I was about ten feet ahead of Stockley when it came. I was so +frightened I thought I would go crazy. When I could see again I saw +the oak tree falling right where he was lying. I never was so +frightened in my life. Then I ran home, believing he was killed. I +don't remember how I got down the hill, or what I said after." + +"Will you answer me one question, Smithers?" asked Beecham. + +"If I can, yes. What is it?" + +"When the accident happened were you two talking about Henning and the +robbery last Christmas?" + +"Yes," he answered, "we were. I'm sorry now I had anything to do with +it." + +"With what?" asked Beecham with a nervous start. Foolish fellow. He +was not cool enough. The other fellow took immediate alarm. + +"Oh, nothing!" and he refused to say anything more, and walked away. + +"That was too bad," said Beecham to himself, very much chagrined. "If +I had been a little more diplomatic I might have wormed out of him all +he knew of the matter." + +Now Jack was indeed sorely puzzled. Did Smithers mean that he was +sorry that he had talked to Stockley about it, or did he mean that he +was now, under the influence of a great fright, sorry that he had +participated in the robbery? + +Beecham sat a long time on a bench tilted against the wall, +disconsolate and severely bringing himself to task. + +"Here am I," he said, "with conceit enough to imagine I have brains +enough to become a lawyer, and at the very first opportunity for an +important cross-questioning I make a decided goose of myself. Pshaw! I +wish some one would kick me! I deserve it!" + +When Beecham found Bracebridge and told him what he had done, the +latter laughingly admitted the sentence which Jack had passed upon +himself ought to be immediately executed, and volunteered to be the +executioner. + +"You did make a mess, of it, certainly. There's no telling what the +boy knows--much more than he will ever reveal, I'm thinking. We can +now only wait for Roy. He wired that he would be here to-morrow +morning." + +"'Rah for Roy! He's the one we want!" shouted Jack with renewed +enthusiasm. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +SURPRISES FOR ROY + + +Henning arrived at the Cuthberton depot at seven in the morning. In +stepping from the sleeper he was surprised to see Ambrose Bracebridge +awaiting him. + +"Welcome back, old fellow, to St. Cuthbert's," said Ambrose. "I was +very sorry to hear of your loss. May she rest in peace," and the +gentlemanly boy raised his hat reverently. + +"Thank you," said Roy, warmly shaking hands, "thanks. It was very +sudden. Poor little Ethel died a saint if ever there was one." + +"I have not forgotten you in your absence. I have the promise of +five Masses for her from the Fathers. I felt sure that would be +pleasing to you." + +"Thanks, indeed!" He was touched by his friend's thoughtfulness, and +the remembrance of Ethel brought a big lump into his throat, and for a +moment there was a catching of the breath. "Excuse me, Ambrose. Your +kindness--our sudden loss--my heart is wrenched--her--she--oh! you +know how it is!" + +"Yes, yes, I know----" + +"And I have come back," said Roy, certainly irrelevantly, "I have come +back under the most favorable conditions with respect to my father." + +"Yes?" answered Ambrose, quite ignorant of what the conditions might +be. Roy saw that for all their talks, Bracebridge remembered nothing +of the previous relations between himself and his father. He saw by +his questioning "yes," and by his eyes, which were nothing less than +interrogation points, that his friend was curious to learn more, +although he delicately refrained from asking. + +"It's a long story, Brosie, old man. I can't tell it to you now on the +platform here. I'll tell you some time to-day--after we have had +breakfast. I am as hungry as a wolf. Let's go to a hotel and get +breakfast." + +"No, the college carriage is outside waiting for you, and breakfast +for four is to be ready by the time we get back." + +"For four?" + +"Why, yes. Didn't I tell you that Harry Gill and Jack are waiting +outside in the carriage? The ticket man at the gate wouldn't let them +in. I was the least suspicious-looking of the three, I suppose." + +"Let's be off, then," said Roy. + +Both made a grab simultaneously at Roy's suitcase. + +"No, you don't." + +"Yes, I do," answered Ambrose, keeping hold of it. They both tugged +for a moment or two, much to the amusement of two ladies in an +opposite train who burst out into merry laughter at the friendly +contest. + +Warm greetings awaited Roy in the carriage. After the welcoming was +over, and the delicate condolences tendered, Roy leaned over to Gill's +ear and whispered something. Whatever the whispering was about it +ended by Roy putting his finger over his lips as an admonition to +remain silent. + +The information conveyed to Gill must have been of a startling nature +for he immediately proceeded to behave as if he were suffering from a +fit. He threw up his heels into Bracebridge's lap, clutched the +carriage strap with one hand and Beecham's coat collar by the other, +and began to scream at the top of his voice. Roy held his sides at the +other's antics. Ambrose guessed the cause of Gill's jubilation, but +Jack Beecham was quite in the dark. + +"Here! take this maniac off, or I'll soon be a physical wreck," he +shouted. + +"By the way, Ambrose," asked Henning, "what is the great news you +wired you had for me? But first how did the great game come off?" + +Then all three in their enthusiasm began to talk at once and +independently of each other. Each described what he considered the +beauties and fine points of the game. + +In the midst of this jumble of words, from which Roy managed to pick +out a deal of information about the game, the carriage drove into the +college grounds. + +The prefect at once hurried the four into the infirmary building where +a somewhat elaborate breakfast had been prepared for them. + +"Get along, boys. Clear out now. These boys are hungry. You can see +Roy after breakfast. There is plenty of time to hear all the news, if +he has any to tell. Now, John, let no boy into the infirmary this +morning without my permission." + +"All right, Mr. Shalford. I'll keep them out, sure enough," answered +the kind old fellow who attended to the wants of the sick. This time +he was as good as his word, for as soon as the four were fairly inside +he shut the door and locked it. + +During the breakfast--such a breakfast the infirmarian explained he +had to get up once in a while to keep his hand in for convalescents +who had to be coaxed to eat to get strong, an explanation readily +admitted by the four--Henning's three friends told him of the +wind-storm and of the accident to Stockley. They told him how through +Smithers' incoherence of speech they had first believed that Mr. +Shalford had been crushed by the falling oak; how Stockley had been +found beneath the branches, and, finally, how when he had returned to +semi-consciousness he had uttered some very strange words which might +mean nothing at all or a great deal for Henning. Roy, as he gradually +learned the full particulars became very much interested and finally +intensely excited. Was he going to have the wretched affair of the +robbery cleared up at last? Did this boy know who the thief was? Could +he point him out? Would he do so? And what if, after all, his +suspicions about his own cousin should prove correct! + +While he was thus pondering, and listening to his friends' suggestions +and information, Mr. Shalford came in. + +"Henning," he said, "you may be surprised that I did not let Garrett +go to the depot to meet you. The fact is, these rascals here begged so +hard that I could not find the heart to refuse them, and you know that +the old-fashioned carriage will only hold four. To make amends I will +send Garrett to you at once. He has asked several times to be allowed +to come in, but I refused until you had finished your breakfast." + +A minute later Andrew Garrett entered, holding out his hand in +sympathy to Roy, as he walked across the room. There was a wonderful +change in the boy. He looked better than he had looked for months. The +blotches and disfiguring pimples had disappeared. Healthy food, +regular meals, and being much out of doors had effected that. But +there was a change of countenance as well as of face. There was a look +of candor not usually seen there of late. The eyes were steady and had +lost much of their restlessness. There was at this moment a +gratifying air about Garrett which plainly indicated that he wanted to +repair any injustice and wrong which he had formerly done to his +cousin. + +Henning was very much puzzled at the change, which was more apparent +to him than to the others who witnessed the meeting. + +"Poor little cousin Ethel. Oh, Roy, I'm so sorry. She was such a +charming child!" + +Roy looked at him in surprise. Could this be the boy who had done him +so much injury and had kept the secret all these months? What to make +of the tone, the evident look of candor, the change in Garrett, Roy +did not know. Sensible fellow as he was, he made the most of it, +judging that if the present meeting were merely a piece of good acting +on Andrew's part, he would sooner or later find out the true state of +affairs. So he offered his hand to Garrett and it was pressed with +genuine sympathy. + +"And how does Aunty bear the shock?" + +Roy told him. + +"And mother? Did you see my mother?" + +"I did, Andrew, and she grieves quite as much as my mother and father. +She sends her love, and Papa sends this with his kindest regards to +his nephew." + +Roy gave the sealed envelope, containing the elder Henning's present. +Garrett did not open it at once. He said: + +"I have several things I wish to say to you when we are alone. Of +course you have heard by this time all about the accident to +Stockley?" + +He then whispered to Roy: + +"There's more behind this than you think. Get rid of these fellows for +a little while. I have a lot to say to you." + +"I can not just now," Roy whispered back. "You see they are in a way +my guests for the present. To send them away would not only offend, +but it would be very unkind." + +"Very well then; as soon as you can be alone in the yard this +morning?" + +"All right." + +Garrett then joined in the general conversation around the breakfast +table. Roy was much puzzled. He could not understand Andrew at all. +Never during the whole time that Garrett had been with him at St. +Cuthbert's had he acted in so cousinly a manner. Roy wondered whether +the change had been brought about by Ethel's death. Yet unless Andrew +was playing a much deeper game than his cousin gave him credit for +being able to play, his advances--for they were in Roy's estimation +distinct advances--were genuine. He gave up the problem as too hard of +solution--and waited. + +His cogitations were soon cut short. The physician came down stairs +from his morning visit to the injured boy. + +"No, I do not think the boy will die," they heard him remark to the +infirmarian, "I am sure he will not, although he thinks he is going +to. He'll be all right in a few weeks. What? I told you last +night--two ribs and his arm." + +"Can he see any one?" asked the infirmarian. + +"He had better be kept quiet for a few days. By the way, he said +something about wanting to see a Troy, or a Joy, or some such +name--and some one else. Who was it, Denning, Heming, Henning--some +such name." + +"It's all one person, doctor. It's Roy Henning he wants to see. May he +see him?" + +"Yes, I think it would be better to let him see this boy as soon as +he wishes. There appears to be something important that he has to say +which he wants to get off his mind. Yes, let him see this boy--a chum +of his, I suppose. Perhaps it will do him good. Can not do any harm." + +"A chum of his! Ugh!" said Roy, _sotto voce_. There was really so +comical a look of disgust on his face that the other boys, who were +watching him closely, burst out laughing. The infirmarian came in: + +"The doctor says ye can see the one with a broken arm, though what he +do be wantin' ye for, I dunno. It's sorry I am to be hearing ye lost +your sister, Master Roy, an' sure the Lord'll be having mercy on her." + +"Thank you very much, for your kind wishes." + +His friends now left him, wishing him all sorts of success in the +interview. He thanked them, but did not go upstairs. Instead, he went +to the window and looked out as if expecting some one. Some time later +his friends were surprised to see him still standing there. Mr. +Shalford thought that by this time the interview must be nearly over. +He, too, was surprised to see Henning gazing out of the breakfast-room +window. The prefect went over to him. + +"Why are you not talking with Stockley?" he asked rather sharply. + +"For two reasons, sir. I am a little nervous at present. You know how +much depends for me on what that boy will say. I want to be cool, so I +am waiting a little while. Secondly, I do not intend to go there +alone." + +"Not go alone! Why! What do you mean? Are you afraid?" + +"No, sir. But if this fellow should, and somehow I think he can, say +something to exculpate me, what good would his statement, or perhaps +admission, be to me without witnesses? I should be just where I was +before." + +"You are right. You should have witnesses. Whom do you want?" + +"Ambrose and Jack and Rob Jones, if you like, sir." + +"No; two are enough. I will send Bracebridge and Beecham to you at +once." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +STOCKLEY'S STORY + + +When our unfortunate treasurer of the pitching cage fund entered the +sickroom he was scarcely prepared for what he found there. The room, +to his imagination, resembled an emergency hospital. The air was +impregnated with the odors of arnica, and iodine and ether--decidedly +sickly smells to one coming in suddenly and not accustomed to them. + +On the table near the bed where Stockley was lying were a number of +bottles, gauze, and sponges and the remains of a light breakfast. The +boy was propped up with pillows, his broken arm in splints resting on +one, while another was gently pressed against his fractured ribs. + +Stockley was not an ill-featured boy. It is true that he had somewhat +neglected his personal appearance of late, but there was nothing about +him that was really repulsive, and now after his alcohol bath and with +his hair well brushed from his forehead he appeared quite presentable. +He had a fine mouth and his eyes were large and clear. His forehead +was high and intelligent, and notwithstanding his faults one could not +fail to recognize a sort of innate nobility in him, and Roy discovered +something more than even this as he watched him. He saw on his face a +softened, chastened look. His countenance showed that softening effect +which appears in so peculiar yet unmistakable a way immediately +after receiving one of the sacraments of the Church. His look was +subdued and yet exalted. There was a species of radiance on the face +which Roy felt he could not define, but yet was quite discernible. +There was also a change of manner of speech. Stockley had been very +close to the gates of death and that tremendous fact had changed his +views, and the sacrament of Penance had the effect of softening his +hitherto somewhat hard exterior conduct and manner and he was even now +under the apprehension that it was quite doubtful whether he would +recover from his injuries, although the physician had told him that +unless most unexpected complications ensued there was no danger. He +was nevertheless quite frightened, and was now very serious. It must +not be understood, however, that the story he told was due to his +fright, for he had quite a different motive in relating what he did. + +Roy saw the change in the boy, yet he could not help but regard him +with disfavor, although he determined to be perfectly just to him. He +was anxious, also, to keep his wits about him in order to lose nothing +of what might be said. In justice to himself he meant to get the whole +story, although in his heart of hearts he had the sickening dread that +this boy lying wounded and bruised before him would confirm his worst +fears concerning his cousin Garrett. + +Henning realized that the present moment was a critical one in his +life; that now, or perhaps never, would all suspicion be removed. He +felt that if this interview should result in nothing not already +known, and he remain under the unjust and cruel suspicion, it would +compel him to reconsider seriously his purpose of entering the +seminary. Was there not also a possibility that the bishop would +reject him--would be compelled to reject him--upon learning that his +character for honesty was impugned? + +All this and much more he saw as he stood by the bedside of the +injured boy, waiting for him to speak. While waiting he offered a +fervent prayer to the Sacred Heart for direction for himself, and that +if it were in Stockley's power to do so, he might clear up everything. + +To see Henning at this moment one would never imagine that he was very +much excited. His two friends thought he was taking the matter very +coolly. He stood at the bedside with his hands in the side pockets of +his trousers, and with as much apparent nonchalance as if he were +watching a ball-game. + +Perceiving that Stockley would not, or at least did not begin the +conversation, he remarked: + +"I am sorry that you have met with so serious and so terrible an +accident." + +There was no reply. Stockley put out his uninjured hand, but Roy did +not take it. He felt that there was something in the character of the +boy lying before him that was entirely antagonistic to his own +character and disposition. They were the opposites of each other in +almost everything. The one was animated with noble and generous +impulses, with exalted ideals of life and duty and goodness. The +other, as far as Roy had known him, was the antithesis of all this. +Seeing that Stockley did not speak, he again made an attempt to open +the conversation. + +"The infirmarian tells me that you wish to say something to me." + +"Yes," said the other in a low voice. He was really suffering a great +deal of pain. "Yes, won't you all take chairs? Sit down, all of +you." + +"Thanks, I prefer to stand," said Roy, but the other two found seats. + +"But it is rather a long story I have determined to tell. It will take +some time." + +Roy sat down. + +"That's right. It makes it easier for me to say what I am going to +tell." + +Henning nodded his head, without venturing a reply. + +"You seem rather sour with me." + +"No. Excuse me if I appear so. I am anxious to hear what you have to +say." + +"By the way, where is Smithers? Why hasn't he been up here to see me? +Where is he?" + +"I know nothing about him. You know I have only arrived from home this +morning. As yet I have no news of the yard." + +"Well, he might have come, seeing how thick we have been. But there! +I'm not going to say anything about him, or about anybody but myself." + +Roy nodded his head in approbation. + +"Ah! that suits you. You pious fellows are so particular about what is +said about one's neighbor. I must be careful. You are right, of +course, and besides I received a pretty close call, up there on the +hillside, so I am going to try to undo some of the harm I have done. +The chaplain has urged me, too." + +"Yes, be careful, please. But what is your story?" + +"I was brought up," he began in a low voice, "in a strange, +unwholesome way. I suppose heredity, or at least environment, must +have something to do with my tendencies and disposition. The only +piece of good fortune I have had was in being sent to St. Cuthbert's, +but, now when it is too late, I see how I have missed my chances here. +Ever since I can remember, my father has been a heavy drinker and our +home has been one of squalid discomfort, and I became more or less +soured with everything and everybody and found myself doing many a +mean thing. Do you know who it was who put the suspicion of theft on +you? Three of us worked that, or strictly speaking, two; It was I and +Smithers, and occasionally--once in a great while--your cousin +Garrett." + +"So I have thought all along; in fact I knew it," said Henning, +"but why on earth did you do such a thing? Do you not know how much +I have suffered from this? And you must know how terribly hard this +was to bear." + +"I know very well. Why did we do it? I, for one, was thoroughly +envious of your popularity. I was angry, as a good many others were, +at your refusal to play baseball or football. I did not, and to tell +you the truth, do not like you, and I wanted to do something to vex +you. Of course I see these things now in a different light after +confession. You know I have been to confession, don't you." + +"I suspected as much. I am glad of that. So you started the cowardly +rumor against my honesty all the time knowing I was innocent." + +Henning was determined to be diplomatic, so the question was not put +as in anger, or with any apparent excitement or resentment, but rather +as if he were helping the boy make a full confession by suggesting to +him facts known to both. + +"Yes, I acted this way knowing you to be innocent," answered Stockley. + +"Did you realize that you might have ruined me for life?" + +"To be honest, I never dreamed of such a result. It was done simply to +annoy you, and for no other reason, on my part." + +"Did you suggest this to Garrett or he to you?" asked Roy. + +"To do him justice, I must say that we, Smithers and I, suggested it +to him. We had a hard job to bring him over, in fact he never did +really come over. He would never let the letter be circulated." + +"Letter! What letter? What do you mean?" + +"Don't you know? That was my biggest card and it fell flat. Don't +know? Oh, well, if you don't know about the letter, you must ask your +cousin. He wouldn't give it up. I guess he's got it yet." + +Roy was much mystified. He could not imagine what the letter could be, +or what bearing it had on the case. + +"Stockley, you have told us some things of importance. Now will you +not go farther? You know I am innocent of the robbery, and of any +possible connection with it?" + +"No doubt about that," said the other. + +"Now to make your story complete, and of immense value to me, will you +not reiterate your statement before Bracebridge and Beecham here that +you know me to be innocent of all the charges which have been +circulated about me in the yard?" + +"Why, yes. I repeat emphatically that you are guiltless of them all." + +"Thanks! thanks! You are sure of what you say?" + +"Quite sure. You are scot-free." + +"Thanks again. Now, Stockley, as you are quite sure, do you not see +the only way in which you can convince others that you are correct is +to admit you know the thief?" + +The boy on the bed laughed. + +"Well, Henning, I suppose you think you have caught me nicely. You +think I have either said too much or too little. If I had not been to +confession I should not have allowed you to drive me into this +corner, but I did not intend to stop at this. Yes, I will tell you the +name of the thief." + +"Who is he?" asked Roy, as calmly as he could, although he felt +himself half choking with suppressed excitement. + +"I must continue my story. When I have done you will know. What time +is it?" + +"Twenty minutes to ten," answered Roy. + +"You've got it yet," said the boy, pointing his finger at Roy's watch, +which he still held in his hand. + +"What? The watch? Oh! yes." It was a rather small gold hunting-case +watch. + +"That watch was the cause of the robbery," said Stockley dramatically. +Henning clicked the watch shut with a start, and put it back in his +pocket. + +"This watch the cause of the robbery! What on earth are you talking +about? Your senses must be leaving you----" + +"Just wait. You'll soon see I'm not wandering. Why should there be +such an unequal distribution of wealth, and of the good things of the +world? Why can you have all that heart can desire, and why must I get +along with a mere pittance, just enough to make me wince under my own +indigence? Look at my father and yours; my home and your home. Your +father is a wealthy and honored lawyer with a home like a palace; +mine, as I said before, one of squalid discomfort. My father gave me +five dollars to get through the school year with, yours probably gave +you a hundred." + +Henning began to pity the boy. Laying his hand gently on Stockley he +said: + +"Hold on. I begin to catch your view, but you are getting on too fast. +I am going to tell you something which I have never breathed to a +living soul. Do you know how much money I had to spend this year?" + +"As I said," replied the other, "about a hundred, or perhaps much +more." + +"You are mistaken. I had just twenty-five dollars--not one cent +more--and you see that's a very small amount for me, because I am +supposed--just as you suppose now--to have plenty." + +"Oh! Come off! You gave Smithers nearly ten!" + +"I know it, and it left me fifteen." + +Jack and Ambrose were never so surprised in their lives--and felt like +cheering. Stockley remained silent. This was a revelation to him. He +had supposed that a rich man's son, because he was a rich man's son, +always had all the money he wanted. He was sharp enough to realize +Roy's position during the year. + +"My, that must have been hard on you!" + +"It was hard," replied Roy. + +Another long pause. The injured boy was thinking new thoughts. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +STOCKLEY'S STORY (CONTINUED) + + +"I've been thinking," said Stockley, at length breaking the silence. +"I've been thinking that if I had known last Christmas what you have +told me now things might have happened very differently. I guess I am +not the only fellow who has seen hard lines here. Yes, things would +have been different." + +"How so?" asked Henning. + +"It's this way. I told you that it was your gold watch that was the +cause--or the occasion--of all the trouble that came to you. It +happened this way. For some time before Christmas I envied you, your +good clothes, this gold watch, and--and your popularity. Along by +Christmas my father neglected me. He sent me no money, which he might +easily have done had he given me one thought. The more nearly broke I +was at holiday time the deeper my envy. I knew, for I watched you +closely, that you were collecting a pretty sum for the cage. I saw +where you kept the money. The idea of securing a gold watch for myself +took strong hold upon me. It did not take long or many attempts to +loosen one of the outside window bars. Then on the _Richelieu_ night +when everybody was full of thoughts of the play, when the prefects +were hurrying the boys to bed, I entered through the window and +secured the money." + +"And it wasn't--it wasn't--" Roy choked up. + +"Who? It wasn't anybody but myself. Smithers had no hand in it +then." + +Roy Henning's heart gave a great bound of relief. It was not his +cousin, after all. Thank God, thank God! The family honor was saved! +How glad he was now of his silence! Was ever silence so golden? What +irretrievable damage a hasty word could have done. The thief known, on +his own confession, and before witnesses. His cousin exonerated! Thank +God, thank God! Of course Roy was curious now to know all the details +and it was with the utmost difficulty that he restrained his +excitement sufficiently to be able to speak in a natural tone. + +"How did you manage to do it?" + +"Umph! This information which you have been seeking for the last five +months does not seem to affect you much." + +"With that we can deal later. Now I am curious to know how you did it. +Please tell me." + +"As you take the matter so coolly, I will. I laid my plans well. I +determined, if caught in lifting the grating, to be hunting for a +ball, which I had previously dropped down there. I watched my time. I +made the entry while the boys were in the chapel at night prayers. I +settled with myself that if I were caught coming out, to bring the +money to you to prove to you how foolish you were to leave it in a +common table drawer. In the dark it took only a minute to lift the +grating. You know that it is thick iron with small holes. Three boys +did actually walk over the grating that night while I was crouching +beneath it with the money in my pocket." + +Henning startled both Stockley and his companions by saying, +dramatically: + +"I saw you that night there." + +"What, you saw me! Oh, I say, that's a likely story--and didn't say a +word all this time!" + +"I can prove it." + +"How?" + +"Why did you wear Garrett's blue sweater?" + +"Guess you did see me then, for I wore it. I wanted a disguise. If any +one saw me near that window with Garrett's sweater on they would take +me for him, provided I hid my face well--which I did. No one would +suspect Garrett of thieving." + +Again Henning was thankful that he had kept his resolution of silence. +It was not for Garrett's sake he had made it. Why it was made, and +kept in the face of such suspicious circumstances, the reader will +learn ere long. + +"Did you purchase the gold watch you wanted with your--your ill-gotten +gains?" + +"I did not. I was afraid to do so. I saw at once if I did I should +compromise myself. I saw that I should have to tell where I got the +money for such a purpose. Everybody, and especially the faculty, knew +that I did not have overmuch pocket-money. My common-sense, after all, +told me I could not use the money here. So I made myself a felon for +nothing. What is left--most of it--is now with the President." + +Stockley paused a minute, and then continued: + +"Don't think this is an easy task for me, boys. I promised the +chaplain to straighten things out, and as you had to have the +essentials, you might as well have the details also. I shall never +face the boys again, for as soon as I can be moved I am to be sent +home. Anyway, Henning, I like the way you received the story." + +"I am very thankful to you that you make it so clear and +circumstantial." + +"You remember in the early spring there was a good deal of money spent +by the boys. If I remember rightly you yourself bought a number of +books, bats, balls, and shoes. Well, at that time I ventured to +spend some, but I was horribly suspicious all the time. Somehow I +imagined that every dollar I spent was marked in some invisible way +and would be traced back to me. No, I tell you that has done me no +good, given me not one moment of satisfaction, and has only added an +extra burden to my conscience." + +"Did Smithers have a hand in this thievery?" asked Roy. + +"Leave others out. You said that to me just now, and now you are +trying to get some one else incriminated." + +"No, I am not. I am merely acting in self-defense. You have cleared me +of all suspicion. I must, if he was implicated in this wretched +affair, have him clear me also." + +"You need not bother about Smithers," said Bracebridge; "that charming +and courageous individual departed for unknown pastures between two +suns. You will see him no more. The boys say he is daffy on account of +the storm. Let it go at that, Roy." + +Henning was surprised at this news, but not altogether pleased. +Matters had thus far gone so propitiously that he wanted every knot in +the tangle straightened out. + +"That's all right, Roy," said Bracebridge. "There will be no more +trouble from that quarter." He then turned to Stockley, saying: + +"I must say that we are obliged to you for your candor. It is rather a +manly acknowledgment after all." + +"You see, I went to confession last night, and----" + +"I understand. You are properly trying to undo the wrong you have +done. You will never be able to undo the mental torture you have +inflicted on Henning all these months." + +"I never shall. I am sorry for all that now, and I ask your pardon, +Henning." + +The three boys were discovering that there was something manly in +Stockley after all. + +"That's all right," said Roy heartily. "It's all over now. Try and +keep straight for the future." + +"Now," said Bracebridge, "there is only one thing more to be done. Of +course you will sign a paper exonerating Henning from all possible +implication, now you have acknowledged your own guilt. Our word as +witnesses would be sufficient, but it would come with better grace +from you, don't you think so?" + +"There's not much gracefulness in the whole wretched business, I'm +thinking, but I'll sign." + +That afternoon, with the permission of the prefect, there was posted +on the bulletin board a notice which created more intense excitement +than anything since the loss of the money during the Christmas +holidays. It ran as follows: + + "This is to certify that I, of my own free will and + without coercion, admit that I stole the seventy-two dollars + last Christmas week, and that no one now at the college had + the least thing to do with planning or carrying out the + theft except myself." + + "JOHN STOCKLEY." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +THE UNRAVELED TANGLE + + +Unpleasant as the interview had been to Roy, he no sooner left the +sickroom than he found his spirits rise with a great bound. At last! +At last he was cleared! Now the way was smoothed for him. All +aspersions on his character would be scattered like the morning mist +before the sun, as soon as the contents of the precious paper were +made known. + +The three boys left the infirmary at about half an hour after eleven +o'clock. In a quarter of an hour classes would be dismissed for the +day, it being a customary half-holiday. + +Jack Beecham was eager to post the notice on the bulletin board at +once. They took the wiser and safer course. They decided to see the +prefect first, as nothing appeared on the board without his sanction, +and when it did it was regarded as official. + +"Come in," they heard him call in response to their rap at the door. + +"Great news, Mr. Shalford!" shouted Jack Beecham before he entered the +room. "Everything's settled. Roy's all right now. The head of the +clique has done it this time--in black and white, too; see, sir." + +Mr. Shalford arose, smiling, and extended his hand to Henning. + +"I am very glad. It has been an ugly business. It has caused no end of +anxiety. The rumors and charges were always so intangible that I never +could trace one to its source. But let me see the paper." + +This boys' true friend gave a low whistle as he read Stockley's +acknowledgment. + +"So you are cleared, Henning; and the thief is known? That's capital. +Poor boy! Isn't it too bad, boys, to find a student--one of us--a thief, +a burglar, a felon! Oh, the pity of it! Well, pray for him, boys, pray +for him. Leave this note with me, Henning. I'll see that it does its +work. Congratulations, all of you. Whatever you have, Roy, you have some +loyal friends. Congratulations, congratulations, all of you!" + +The note was immediately posted. Then the excitement began, at first +among half-a-dozen around the board, then among other groups, and in a +very short time throughout the college. George McLeod and Ernest +Winters simply went wild, and in less than an hour they could scarcely +speak at all, so hoarse were they from shouting. + +Where was Henning? A rush was made to the Philosophy classroom. He was +not there. Perhaps he was with the rector or the prefect of studies. +Both these places were invaded by excited boys, but Roy was not +forthcoming. + +Just as the big bell rang for dinner, George McLeod made a rush for +the chapel, sure that he would find his friend there. And there he did +find the three, Jack, Ambrose, and Roy, pouring out their thanksgiving +with grateful hearts for the happy turn events had taken. + +"Come, Roy; it's dinner. The big bell has rung; come on." + +Roy did not move, nor did his companions. He evidently intended to +avoid the crowd, waiting until they should all be at dinner, knowing +that in the refectory they would have to remain quiet. + +This time he miscalculated entirely. No sooner did he make his +appearance than the whole of the students of the senior refectory rose +to their feet and gave three hearty cheers for Roy Henning. The +prefect made no attempt to stop the demonstration, while Ernest +Winters, out in the middle of the room, was fairly dancing with joy +and excitement. + +At a given signal from Mr. Shalford all cheering ceased. Every one +resumed his seat--except Ernest, who danced on in his glee, to the +intense amusement of all, and to his own utter confusion when he +discovered that he was the only boy now making any noise in the +refectory. + +Before the laugh at his expense had subsided the prefect whispered to +Roy: + +"Shall I give talking at table in honor of the event?" + +"To-morrow, please, sir," replied Roy, "now I want to think a little." + +Mr. Shalford gave a look and a nod to the reader, and the meal, save +for the reader's voice, was finished in silence. + +If the boys were not allowed to talk for a little while, there was no +lack of signs and signals. Harry Gill was frantic to signal across the +room his congratulations, and had a fit of coughing for trying to eat +his dinner and at the same time send a series of telegraphic messages +to Roy. + +Henning was pleased to see that Andrew Garrett was quite demonstrative +of good will. Andrew, for a long time tried to catch his cousin's eye. +When he did so, he dropped his knife and fork and imitated a +handshaking. Roy did the same to his cousin, and was repaid by seeing +a look of intense pleasure spread over Andrew's face. + +Of course all these signs and signals and other unusual occurrences +were breaches of discipline which, at any other time would not have +gone unchecked and unpunished. But Mr. Shalford knew exactly "how it +was." He had been a real boy himself once, and knew exactly when not +to see too much. He believed in the scriptural motto, "Be not over +just." + +And after dinner! What a scene the yard presented for a few minutes! +The delighted boys shook Roy's hand until his arm fairly ached. His +arm ached because he allowed it to be shaken by others, instead of +himself shaking every hand extended. In this business he was +unexperienced. + +In the midst of the enthusiasm, which resembled that which follows an +important and successful baseball game, only more intense, Harry Gill +jumped upon a long bench by the wall and shouted: + +"Listen, gentlemen. I have good news for you. Hi, there! listen. +Listen there, boys, listen, listen! Roy Henning has promised to pitch +for the rest of the year! Did--you--hear that--boys?" + +Roy suddenly remembered that he had intended to give Gill the credit for +this. He jumped on the bench in a second. Raising his hand, the hero of +the hour obtained silence in a much shorter time than Gill had done. + +"If I pitch for the rest of the year," he said, "it is all Gill's +fault. I simply could not resist his importunities. Oh, he's a sly +one!" + +"It isn't," said Gill laughing. + +"It is." + +"It is not." + +"It is." + +Then there was a cheer which could be heard down at Cuthberton. + +After a time Roy, Jack, Ambrose, and Rob Jones extricated themselves +from the throng of happy boys, and with Gill and Andrew Garrett +repaired to the Philosophy classroom, or Hilson's parlor, as it was +called, which the other members of the class considerately left at +their disposal for the time being. + +"Oh, what a day we're having!" sighed Jack Beecham as he sank into a +chair. + +"Glorious, isn't it?" said the jubilant Bracebridge. + +"And now that we are alone," began Andrew Garrett, "that is, among +special friends, I want to say something." + +All were silent in an instant. Gill, who did not appear to have +realized the previous strained relations between the two cousins began +to say something funny, but he was checked by an unmistakably +significant glance from Ambrose, who had become quite serious, for he +rather expected a scene, if not an explosion. Shealey, who had come +in, was too full of fun and nonsense to imagine that anybody just now +could be serious, but when he saw the nervous look on Ambrose's face, +and the evident nervousness of Garrett, he, too, realized that it was +time to suspend bantering. + +All the friends were standing in a group around Henning, laughing and +chattering as only boys thoroughly happy can laugh and chatter, when +Garrett began to speak. At the sound of his voice, they all, with Roy +in the center, turned and faced Garrett as he stood two or three feet +away. + +"I want to say something," Garrett began again, "and I think it only +fair, Roy, to say it before these others, as well as to you." + +Henning bowed slightly, having only a faint idea of what was coming. +At present he was too pleased to know that Garrett was not implicated +and that the family name was untarnished. + +"I want to say that I consider myself to have been a pretty mean and +small sort of a fellow in this whole business." + +"Oh! Don't----" began Roy in protest. + +"Wait a minute, Roy. This is the task I have set myself, for it seems +to me the only possible way in which I can make reparation. I want to +say that I had a good deal to do with those rumors. I got in, somehow, +with a crowd of boys I ought to have been ashamed to associate with. +How it all happened I don't exactly know. Things went from bad to +worse with me, and pretty far, too. It seems a dream to me now. About +a week ago suddenly I began to realize my position. How this +realization came about I don't know. It must have been dear little +Ethel's prayers for me, but I began to think of my position, think of +what I was doing, and, yes, to think of the sin of it all. You were +away, Roy, and when I remembered your trouble and grief at home, and +when, finally, your brotherly telegram came, I began to be thoroughly +ashamed of myself. So now all I can do is to ask your pardon, and the +pardon of all these, your loyal and staunch friends." + +As he listened to this manly avowal, there arose in Roy Henning's +breast an admiration for his cousin's moral courage. The other +auditors were deeply impressed. They waited with curiosity to see what +Roy would do. And he? He did precisely what might be expected of him. +Without saying a word, he stepped forward, took Garrett's hand and +shook it warmly. Then: + +"It's all over, old man. Let bygones be bygones. I forgive everything +and forget." + +"Thanks, very much. I do not deserve this, but you shall see I shall +deserve it." + +There was a world of pathos and earnestness in Andrew's voice at that +moment. + +The rest of the gathering of friends extended their hands, and Andrew +shook hands all around. + +"Now," said Roy, "will you permit me to ask a few questions, to clear +up some obscure points in my mind?" + +"Certainly; anything," said Andrew, with alacrity. + +"How did that wretched Stockley come to wear your blue sweater? He +tells me he did, and, besides, I saw him get down below that grating +that night and I thought it was you." + +"Thought it was me!" said Garrett in the greatest amazement. "You +thought it was I, and all this time you thought I was the thief, and +yet stood all I said against you, and never said a word! Oh, Roy! No +wonder on that Sunday afternoon you insisted on my clearing you!" + +Andrew Garrett appeared to be fairly overcome by his cousin's +generosity. + +"Why, oh, why didn't I know all this before? How differently I would +have acted. Believe me, it is only this very day I learned that the +thief wore my sweater that night. Before going to bed on the night of +the play I hung my sweater on a peg in the study-hall. The next +morning I saw that it had been used by some one, for there were dirt +stains on it and some rust marks from contact with rusty iron. I +determined not to wear it after that. I had no idea the thief had used +it, though." + +"Thanks," said Roy. "Now one more question, Andrew." + +"Fire away." + +"This morning Stockley said something about a letter which you knew +something of--one in some way connected with me. Can you tell me +anything about it?" + +Now it so happened that the affair of the letter was the only +incident in the untoward conduct of Garrett for many months past in +which he could take any kind of satisfaction. It will be remembered +that he had refused to allow Stockley and Smithers to circulate it +among the boys. He had retained it ever since. + +"That's easy enough," he answered, as he drew the crumpled letter from +his pocket. + +"But I have to ask you a question now, for the wording of the letter +certainly looks compromising enough. Listen to this, gentlemen." +Andrew read the scrap of paper to the astonished listeners. + + "Dec. 23rd. My dear chum: Your letter received last + Monday. Sorry to say that"--"here's a blank," said Garrett, + and then continued, "have no money just now, so can not do the + thing you wish. Awfully sorry. Feel like stealing the money + rather than letting this thing go undone. However, wait + till the end of Christmas week. Something's going to turn + up before that--then we can go into partnership in this, at + least for the merit--keep everything dark. Don't say a word + to anybody about it. Mind, now, chum, everything must be + kept secret or--smash! Yours, Roy H." + +When Garrett began to read the note, Henning looked puzzled. After a +time he seemed to remember all about it, and then he--blushed. + +"Oh! that's----" but he stopped suddenly. He was going to make a +revelation of some kind, and suddenly thought better of it. He blushed +profusely--like a girl. He was awkward. For a moment he appeared +embarrassed in no slight degree. Twice he was going to say something; +twice he changed his mind. + +His friends were very much puzzled. Was there a shade of truth in +some of the charges made against Roy after all? Had their idol fallen? +Was he, after all, not to be their hero? Was he a lesser character +than all along they had judged him? + +Roy saw these fleeting fancies on their wavering faces, all except +Ambrose's. He never doubted, nor did he show the least sign of +wavering. Roy saw wonder and incipient doubt elsewhere, at which he +blushed the more furiously. + +The situation was certainly dramatic. A climax had come to-day. Was +there, after all, to be an anticlimax? Was the idol to be shattered at +the very last moment? + +"What does it all mean, Roy?" asked Garrett. + +"I would rather not say," was the reply. + +"You had better, Roy," said Bracebridge, in confidential tones. + +Still blushing, Roy said: + +"I say, you fellows, you don't mean to say there is anything crooked +in this, do you?" + +"No," replied Andrew Garrett, "but an enemy of yours could make mighty +good capital out of it all the same. Tell us what it means, Roy." + +"If you must know, then, it's merely this," answered Roy, a little +angrily, not exactly with his friends, but more at the exigencies of +the situation. "There is a poor--quite poor--student in a seminary who +is and has been a great friend of mine, in fact pretty much of a hero, +as you would say if you knew his story. He had the greatest longing to +get home last Christmas to see his widowed mother after years of +absence. He could not afford it, and, like a real friend, asked me to +assist him. Unfortunately my funds were very low--too low to help him. +I expected that my mother would send me her usual Christmas present. I +found out that she was willing to do so, and I wrote to her to send +most of it to my friend instead. There's your great mystery! I was +short of funds because my father cut down my allowance this year." + +"So that's the reason you were so close this year?" asked Andrew. + +"What?" + +"Because your father cut down, and yet, by Jove! you were willing to +send what you did get to some one else. Well, I call that noble, +indeed I do. Oh, I wish I had known all this before! If I had but +known! If I had----" + +"Say, you fellows, haven't you done catechising me?" said Roy Henning, +attempting to divert their attention from himself. + +"If you please, cousin, one more question," said Andrew. + +Roy made a wry face, and a mock gesture of impatience. + +"You would try the patience of a saint!" + +"May I?" + +"Well, fire ahead." + +"You say that all along you thought I was the thief?" + +"I certainly did, Andrew," answered Roy, serious in a minute, "for no +one but you here ever wore a blue sweater." + +"Then why did you not, especially as I had acted so meanly toward +you--why did you not do or say something that would point suspicion to +me, or openly make the charge?" + +The question aroused considerable emotion in Roy's breast. It showed +itself in the workings of the muscles of his cheeks. Taking Andrew +Garrett by the hand, he looked into his eyes. + +"Shall I tell you, Andrew?" + +"Yes, please do." + +"If I spoke or moved in this I knew it would break your mother's +heart." + +Andrew could stand no more. He broke down. Boy as he was, with all a +boy's natural distaste for displaying emotion before others, he was +not ashamed to rest his head for a moment on his cousin's shoulder and +sob. The only words that fell from his lips were: + +"Noble Roy!" + + + + +PRINTED BY BENZIGER BROTHERS, NEW YORK. + + + + +Benziger Brothers' New Plan for Disseminating Catholic Literature + +A NEW PLAN FOR SECURING + +Catholic Books on Easy Payments + + Small Monthly Payments. 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After a month all the members return +their books to you and you give them another one. The books are +exchanged in this way every month till the members have read the +twelve volumes in the Library. After the twelfth month the books may +be divided among the members (each getting one book to keep) or the +books may be given to your Pastor for a parish library. + +Then you can order from us a second library on the same terms as +above. In this way you can keep up your Reading Circle from year to +year at a trifling cost. + +_On the following pages will be found a list of the books in the +different Libraries. They are the best that can be had._ + +MAIL A DOLLAR BILL TO-DAY AND ANY LIBRARY WILL BE FORWARDED AT ONCE + + THE OTHER PLAN + + Or if, instead of forming a Reading Circle, you wish to get + a Library for yourself or your family, all you need do is + to remit a dollar bill and any Library will be forwarded to + you at once. 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Father Bearne shows a +wonderful knowledge and fine appreciation of boy character. There is +no mark of mawkishness in the book. + +NAN NOBODY. By MARY T. WAGGAMAN. "Keeps one fascinated till the last +page is reached." + +LOYAL BLUE AND ROYAL SCARLET. By MARION A. TAGGART. "Will help keep +awake the strain of hero worship and ideal patriotism." + +THE GOLDEN LILY. By KATHARINE T. HINKSON. "Another proof of the +author's wonderful genius." + +THE MYSTERIOUS DOORWAY. By ANNA T. SADLIER. "A bright, sparkling +book." + +OLD CHARLMONT'S SEED-BED. By SARA T. SMITH. "A delightful story of +Southern school life." + +THE MADCAP SET AT ST. ANNE'S. By MARION J. BRUNOWE. "Plenty of fun +and frolic, with high moral principle." + +BUNT AND BILL. By CLARA MULHOLLAND. "There are passages of true +pathos and humor in this pretty tale." + +THE FLOWER OF THE FLOCK. By MAURICE F. EGAN. "They are by no means +faultless young people and their hearts lie in the right places." + +PICKLE AND PEPPER. By ELLA L. DORSEY. "This story is clever and +witty--there is not a dull page." + +A HOSTAGE OF WAR. By MARY G. BONESTEEL. "A wide-awake story, brimful +of incident and easy humor." + +AN EVERY DAY GIRL. By MARY T. CROWLEY. "One of the few tales that +will appeal to the heart of every girl." + +AS TRUE AS GOLD. By MARY E. MANNIX. "This book will make a name for +itself." + +AN HEIR OF DREAMS. By S.M. O'MALLEY. "The book is destined to become +a true friend of our boys." + +THE MYSTERY OF HORNBY HALL. By ANNA T. SADLIER. "Sure to stir the +blood of every real boy and to delight with its finer touches the +heart of every true girl." + +TWO LITTLE GIRLS. By LILLIAN MACK. "A real tale of real children." + + RIDINGDALE FLOWER SHOW. By REV. DAVID BEARNE, S.J. "His sympathy +with boyhood is so evident and his understanding so perfect." + + +20 Copyrighted Stories for the Young + +By the Best Catholic Writers + +SPECIAL NET PRICE, $10.00 + +$1.00 down, $1.00 a month + +Read explanation of our Circulating Library plan on preceding pages + +Juvenile Library B + +HIS FIRST AND LAST APPEARANCE. By REV. F.J. FINN, S.J. Profusely +illustrated. "A delightful story by Father Finn, which will be +popular with the girls as well as with the boys." + +THE SHERIFF OF THE BEECH FORK. By REV. H.S. SPALDING, S.J. "From the +outset the reader's attention is captivated and never lags." + +SAINT CUTHBERT'S. By REV. J.E. COPUS, S.J. "A truly inspiring tale, +full of excitement." + +THE TAMING OF POLLY. By ELLA LORAINE DORSEY. "Polly with her cool +head, her pure heart and stern Western sense of justice." + +STRONG-ARM OF AVALON. By MARY T. WAGGAMAN. "Takes hold of the +interest and of the heart and never lets go." + +JACK HILDRETH ON THE NILE. By C. MAY. "Courage, truth, honest +dealing with friend and foe." + +A KLONDIKE PICNIC. By ELEANOR C. DONNELLY. "Alive with the charm +that belongs to childhood." + +A COLLEGE BOY. By ANTHONY YORKE. "Healthy, full of life, full of +incident." + +THE GREAT CAPTAIN. By KATHARINE T. HINKSON. "Makes the most +interesting and delightful reading." + +THE YOUNG COLOR GUARD. By MARY G. BONESTEEL. "The attractiveness of +the tale is enhanced by the realness that pervades it." + +THE HALDEMAN CHILDREN. By MARY E. MANNIX. "Full of people +entertaining, refined, and witty." + +PAULINE ARCHER. By ANNA T. SADLIER. "Sure to captivate the hearts of +all juvenile readers." + +THE ARMORER OF SOLINGEN. By W. HERCHENBACH. "Cannot fail to inspire +honest ambition." + +THE INUNDATION. By CANON SCHMID. "Sure to please the young readers +for whom it is intended." + +THE BLISSYLVANIA POST-OFFICE. By MARION A. TAGGART. "Pleasing and +captivating to young people." + +DIMPLING'S SUCCESS. By CLARA MULHOLLAND. "Vivacious and natural and +cannot fail to be a favorite." + +BISTOURI. By A. MELANDRI. "How Bistouri traces out the plotters and +foils them makes interesting reading." + +FRED'S LITTLE DAUGHTER. By SARA T. SMITH. "The heroine wins her way +into the heart of every one." + +THE SEA-GULL'S ROCK. By J. SANDEAU. "The intrepidity of the little +hero will appeal to every boy." + + JUVENILE ROUND TABLE. FIRST SERIES. A collection of twenty stories +by the foremost writers, with many full-page illustrations. + + +20 Copyrighted Stories for the Young + +By the Best Catholic Writers + +SPECIAL NET PRICE, $10.00 + +$1.00 down, $1.00 a month + +Read explanation of our Circulating Library plan on preceding pages + +Juvenile Library C + +PERCY WYNN; OR, MAKING A BOY OF HIM. By REV. F.J. FINN, S.J. "The +most successful Catholic juvenile published." + +THE RACE FOR COPPER ISLAND. By REV. H.S. SPALDING, S.J. "Father +Spalding's descriptions equal those of Cooper." + +SHADOWS LIFTED. By REV. J.E. COPUS, S.J. "We know of no books more +delightful and interesting." + +HOW THEY WORKED THEIR WAY, AND OTHER STORIES. By MAURICE F. EGAN. "A +choice collection of stories by one of the most popular writers." + +WINNETOU, THE APACHE KNIGHT. By C. MAY. "Chapters of breathless +interest." + +MILLY AVELING. By SARA TRAINER SMITH. "The best story Sara Trainer +Smith has ever written." + +THE TRANSPLANTING OF TESSIE. By MARY T. WAGGAMAN. "An excellent +girl's story." + +THE PLAYWATER PLOT. By MARY T. WAGGAMAN. "How the plotters are +captured and the boy rescued makes a very interesting story." + +AN ADVENTURE WITH THE APACHES. By GABRIEL FERRY. + +PANCHO AND PANCHITA. By MARY E. MANNIX. "Full of color and warmth of +life in old Mexico." + +RECRUIT TOMMY COLLINS. By MARY G. BONESTEEL. "Many a boyish heart +will beat in envious admiration of little Tommy." + +BY BRANSCOME RIVER. By MARION A. TAGGART. "A creditable book in +every way." + +THE QUEEN'S PAGE. By KATHARINE TYNAN HINKSON. "Will arouse the young +to interest in historical matters and is a good story well told." + +MARY TRACY'S FORTUNE. By ANNA T. SADLIER. "Sprightly, interesting +and well written." + +BOB-O'LINK. By MARY T. WAGGAMAN. "Every boy and girl will be +delighted with Bob-o'Link." + +THREE GIRLS AND ESPECIALLY ONE. By MARION A. TAGGART. "There is an +exquisite charm in the telling." + +WRONGFULLY ACCUSED. By W. HERCHENBACH. "A simple tale, +entertainingly told." + +THE CANARY BIRD. By CANON SCHMID. "The story is a fine one and will +be enjoyed by boys and girls." + +FIVE O'CLOCK STORIES. By S.H. C. J. "The children who are blessed +with such stories have much to be thankful for." + + JUVENILE ROUND TABLE. SECOND SERIES. A collection of twenty +stories by the foremost writers, with many full-page illustrations. + + +20 Copyrighted Stories for the Young + +By the Best Catholic Writers + +SPECIAL NET PRICE, $10.00 + +$1.00 down, $1.00 a month + +Read explanation of our Circulating Library plan on preceding pages + +Juvenile Library D + +THE WITCH OF RIDINGDALE. By REV. DAVID BEARNE, S.J. "Here is a story +for boys that bids fair to equal any of Father Finn's successes." + +THE MYSTERY OF CLEVERLY. By GEORGE BARTON. There is a peculiar charm +about this novel that the discriminating reader will ascribe to the +author's own personality. + +HARMONY FLATS. By C.S. WHITMORE. The characters in this story are +all drawn true to life, and the incidents are exciting. + +WAYWARD WINIFRED. By ANNA T. SADLIER. A story for girls. Its youthful +readers will enjoy the vivid description, lively conversations, and +plenty of striking incidents, all winding up happily. + +TOM LOSELY: BOY. By REV. J.E. COPUS, S.J. Illustrated. The writer +knows boys and boy nature, and small-boy nature too. + +MORE FIVE O'CLOCK STORIES. By S.H. C.J. "The children who are +blessed with such stories have much to be thankful for." + +JACK O'LANTERN. By MARY T. WAGGAMAN. This book is alive with +interest. It is full of life and incident. + +THE BERKLEYS. By EMMA HOWARD WIGHT. A truly inspiring tale, full of +excitement. There is not a dull page. + +LITTLE MISSY. By MARY T. WAGGAMAN. A charming story for children +which will be enjoyed by older folk as well. + +TOM'S LUCK-POT. By MARY T. WAGGAMAN. Full of fun and charming +incidents--a book that every boy should read. + +CHILDREN OF CUPA. By MARY E. MANNIX. One of the most thoroughly +unique and charming books that has found its way to the reviewing +desk in many a day. + +FOR THE WHITE ROSE. By KATHARINE T. HINKSON. This book is something +more than a story; but, as a mere story, it is admirably well +written. + +THE DOLLAR HUNT. From the French by E.G. MARTIN. Those who wish to +get a _fascinating_ tale should read this story. + +THE VIOLIN MAKER. From the original of OTTO V. SCHACHING, by SARA +TRAINER SMITH. There is much truth in this simple little story. + +"JACK." By S.H. C.J. As loving and lovable a little fellow as there +is in the world is "Jack," the "pickle," the "ragamuffin," the +defender of persecuted kittens and personal principles. + +A SUMMER AT WOODVILLE. By ANNA T. SADLIER. This is a beautiful book, +in full sympathy with and delicately expressive of the author's +creations. + +DADDY DAN. By MARY T. WAGGAMAN. This is a rattling good story for +boys. + +THE BELL FOUNDRY. By OTTO V. SCHACHING. So interesting that the +reader will find difficulty in tearing himself away. + +TOORALLADDY. By JULIA C. WALSH. An exciting story of the varied +fortunes of an orphan boy from abject poverty in a dismal cellar to +success. + + JUVENILE ROUND TABLE. THIRD SERIES. A collection of twenty stories +by the foremost writers. + + +Dues, 10c. a Month + +Catholic Circulating Library + +A New Book Every Month + +NOVELS + +12 Copyrighted Novels by the Best Authors + +SPECIAL PRICE, $12.00 + +You get the books at once, and have the use of them while making +easy payments + +Read explanation of our Circulating Library plan on first page + + +Library of Novels No. I + +THE RULER OF THE KINGDOM. By GRACE KEON. "Will charm any reader." + +KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS. By J. HARRISON. "A real, true life +history, the kind one could live through and never read it for +romance." + +IN THE DAYS OF KING HAL. By MARION A. TAGGART. Illustrated. "A tale +of the time of Henry V. of England, full of adventure and +excitement." + +HEARTS OF GOLD. By I. EDHOR. "It is a tale that will leave its +reader the better for knowing its heroine, her tenderness and her +heart of gold." + +THE HEIRESS OF CRONENSTEIN. By COUNTESS HAHN-HAHN. "An exquisite +story of life and love, told in touchingly simple words." + +THE PILKINGTON HEIR. By ANNA T. SADLIER. "Skill and strength are +shown in this story. The plot is well constructed and the characters +vividly differentiated." + +THE OTHER MISS LISLE. A Catholic novel of South African life. By +M.C. MARTIN. A powerful story by a writer of distinct ability. + +IDOLS; OR, THE SECRET OF THE RUE CHAUSSEE D'ANTIN. By RAOUL DE +NAVERY. "The story is a remarkably clever one; it is well +constructed and evinces a master hand." + +THE SOGGARTH AROON. By REV. JOSEPH GUINAN, C.C. A capital Irish +story. + +THE VOCATION OF EDWARD CONWAY. By MAURICE F. EGAN. "This is a novel +of modern American life. The scene is laid in a pleasant colony of +cultivated people on the banks of the Hudson, not far from West +Point." + +A WOMAN OF FORTUNE. By CHRISTIAN REID. "That great American Catholic +novel for which so much inquiry is made, a story true in its picture +of Americans at home and abroad." + +PASSING SHADOWS. By ANTHONY YORKE. "A thoroughly charming story. It +sparkles from first to last with interesting situations and +dialogues that are full of sentiment. There is not a slow page." + + +12 Copyrighted Novels by the Best Authors + +SPECIAL NET PRICES, $12.00 + +$1.00 down, $1.00 a month + +Read explanation of our Circulating Library plan on first page. + + +Library of Novels No. II + +THE SENIOR LIEUTENANT'S WAGER, and Other Stories. 30 stories by 30 +of the foremost Catholic writers. + +A DAUGHTER OF KINGS. By KATHARINE TYNAN HINKSON. "The book is most +enjoyable." + +THE WAY THAT LED BEYOND. By J. HARRISON. "The story does not drag, +the plot is well worked out, and the interest endures to the very +last page." + +CORINNE'S VOW. By MARY T. WAGGAMAN. With 16 full-page illustrations. +"There is genuine artistic merit in its plot and life-story. It is +full of vitality and action." + +THE FATAL BEACON. By F.V. BRACKEL. "The story is told well and +clearly, and has a certain charm that will be found interesting. The +principal characters are simple, good-hearted people, and the +heroine's high sense of courage impresses itself upon the reader as +the tale proceeds." + +THE MONK'S PARDON: An Historical Romance of the Time of Philip IV. +of Spain. By RAOUL DE NAVERY. "A story full of stirring incidents +and written in a lively, attractive style." + +PERE MONNIER'S WARD. By WALTER LECKY. "The characters are life-like +and there is a pathos in the checkered life of the heroine. Pere +Monnier is a memory that will linger." + +TRUE STORY OF MASTER GERARD. By ANNA T. SADLIER. "One of the most +thoroughly original and delightful romances ever evolved from the +pen of a Catholic writer." + +THE UNRAVELING OF A TANGLE. By MARION A. TAGGART. With four +full-page illustrations. "This story tells of the adventures of a +young American girl, who, in order to get possession of a fortune +left her by an uncle, whom she had never seen, goes to France." + +THAT MAN'S DAUGHTER. By HENRY M. ROSS. "A well-told story of +American life, the scene laid in Boston, New York and California. It +is very interesting." + +FABIOLA'S SISTER. (A companion volume to Cardinal Wiseman's +"Fabiola.") Adapted by A.C. CLARKE. "A book to read--a worthy sequel +to that masterpiece, 'Fabiola.'" + +THE OUTLAW OF CAMARGUE: A Novel. By A. DE LAMOTHE. "A capital novel +with plenty of go in it." + + +12 Copyrighted Novels by the Best Authors + +SPECIAL NET PRICE, $12.00 + +$1.00 down, $1.00 a month + +Read explanation of our Circulating Library plan on first page. + + +Library of Novels No. III + +"NOT A JUDGMENT." By GRACE KEON. "Beyond doubt the best Catholic +novel of the year." + +THE RED INN OF ST. LYPHAR. By ANNA T. SADLIER. "A story of stirring +times in France, when the sturdy Vendeans rose in defence of country +and religion." + +HER FATHER'S DAUGHTER. By KATHARINE TYNAN HINKSON. "So dramatic and +so intensely interesting that the reader, will find it difficult to +tear himself away from the story." + +OUT OF BONDAGE. By M. HOLT. "Once his book becomes known it will be +read by a great many." + +MARCELLA GRACE. By ROSA MULHOLLAND. Mr. Gladstone called this novel +_a masterpiece_. + +THE CIRCUS-RIDER'S DAUGHTER. By F. V. BRACKEL. This work has +achieved a remarkable success for a Catholic novel, for in less than +a year three editions were printed. + +CARROLL DARE. By MARY T. WAGGAMAN. Illustrated. "A thrilling story, +with the dash of horses and the clash of swords on every side." + +DION AND THE SIBYLS. By MILES KEON. "Dion is as brilliantly, as +accurately and as elegantly classical, as scholarly in style and +diction, as fascinating in plot and as vivid in action as Ben Hur." + +HER BLIND FOLLY. By H. M. ROSS. A clever story with an interesting +and well-managed plot and many striking situations. + +MISS ERIN. By M. E. FRANCIS. "A captivating tale of Irish life, +redolent of genuine Celtic wit, love and pathos." + +MR. BILLY BUTTONS. By WALTER LECKY. "The figures who move in rugged +grandeur through these pages are as fresh and unspoiled in their way +as the good folk of Drumtochty." + +CONNOR D'ARCY'S STRUGGLES. By MRS. W. M. BERTHOLDS. "A story of +which the spirit is so fine and the Catholic characters so nobly +conceived." + + +Continuation Library + + YOU SUBSCRIBE FOR FOUR NEW + NOVELS A YEAR, TO BE MAILED TO + YOU AS PUBLISHED, AND RECEIVE + BENZIGER'S MAGAZINE FREE. + +Each year we publish _four new novels_ by the best Catholic authors. +These novels are interesting beyond the ordinary--not religious, but +Catholic in tone and feeling. They are issued in the best modern +style. + +We ask you to give us a _standing order_ for these novels. 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Then you pay 50 cents each month until $6.00 + has been paid. + + +LIBRARY OF SHORT STORIES + +BY A BRILLIANT ARRAY OF CATHOLIC AUTHORS + +ORIGINAL STORIES BY 33 WRITERS + +Four Handsome Volumes and Benziger's Magazine for a Year at the +Special Price of $5.00 + + 50 CENTS DOWN; 50 CENTS A MONTH + + You get the books at once, and have the use of them while + making easy payments. Send us only 50 cents, and we will + forward the books at once; 50 cents entitles you to + immediate possession. No further payment need be made for a + month; afterwards you pay 50 cents a month. + + STORIES BY + + Anna T. Sadlier + Mary E. Mannix + Mary T. Waggaman + Jerome Harte + Mary G. Bonesteel + Magdalen Rock + Eugenie Uhlrich + Alice Richardson + Katharine Jenkins + Mary Boyle O'Reilly + Clara Mulholland + Grace Keon + Louisa Emily Dobree + Theo. Gift + Margaret E. Jordan + Agnes M. Rowe + Julia C. Walsh + Madge Mannix + Leigh Gordon Giltner + Eleanor C. Donnelly + Teresa Stanton + H. J. 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