There was a game going on in the cricket-field, a sort of French and
English affair, which necessitated a good deal of running, and proved to
be very hot work; and in an interval of rest, when the boys were
gathered together under the elms, Singh threw himself down, panting and
half-exhausted, crying: "Oh, I wish to goodness I had something else on
but this hot flannel! Here, I know. I'll go and change it for my
silk."
He left the group of companions, walked slowly along under the row of
elms, and came suddenly upon Glyn, who was playing on the opposing side.
"Hallo!" cried the latter anxiously. "What a face! Aren't you well?"
"Oh yes, quite; only what you call pumped out."
"What, are you going in?"
"Yes; I shall be all right directly. I had no business to play in this
hot jacket. I am only going in to change it."
"You're sure you are not done up?" said Glyn anxiously.
"Done up? Nonsense! I only want a bit of rest, and then I shall get
back to my side and we can beat you."
"Jacket?" said Glyn, still looking at him in doubt. "Here, let me fetch
it for you. I haven't had so much running."
"Do! There's a good chap," cried Singh eagerly, and thrusting his hand
into his pocket he brought out his keys.
"In the bottom drawer, isn't it?" said Glyn.
"Yes, I think so. If it isn't, it's in the bullock-trunk."
"All right," cried Glyn, catching the keys that were pitched to him; and
he trotted off, while Singh picked out a shady spot and threw himself
upon the turf.
Just about the same time, book in hand, Morris, apparently deep in
study, after walking all round the field, came up to the group that
Singh had just left, and closed his book, retaining the place with his
thumb. He glanced round amongst the resting little party.
"Why, where is Singh?" he said quietly, addressing Burton. "I thought
he was playing on your side."
"Yes, sir; he is, sir," cried the little fellow eagerly. "He's just
gone up to his dormitory, sir, to get his thin cricketing-jacket."
"Oh," said the master softly. "Nice day for your sports, boys. Don't
let the other side win."
"No, sir!"
"No sir!" came in chorus. "We won't."
But the book of Morris was open once more, and he seemed to be poring
over a mathematical problem as he walked slowly away.
Meanwhile Glyn had reached the door of the lecture-room, hurried in,
mounted the stairs, entered the room he shared with Singh, and selecting
the key of the drawers, opened the one at the bottom, to find flannel
trousers, Eton suit, and a carelessly folded overcoat.
"It is not here," he said. "What an untidy chap he is with his togs,
and how he gets them mixed! Don't want to brag; but I believe I could
get anything out of my drawers with my eyes shut. Well, I suppose it
was because of dad. He always used to say that a soldier's traps should
be neatly packed together in the smallest space. Perhaps it's in the
next drawer," he continued, as he thrust in and locked the one at the
bottom. "No; he said it would be in the trunk," and changing the key,
he went to the corner of the little room, knelt down, thrust the key
into the lock, and threw open the lid.
"Why, it isn't here at the top," he said to himself. "Oh, I am not
going to turn over all his things."
An ejaculation behind him made him spring to his feet, to find himself
face to face with Morris, book in hand, the pair sharing the
astonishment due to the sudden encounter.
"You here, Severn!" cried Morris, flushing up with anger, Glyn felt, for
it was out of hours for being in the dormitory.
"Yes, sir. I was getting something from his box for Singh."
"Oh," said Morris, recovering himself. "Young Burton told me he was
here in his room."
"He was coming, sir; but I came for him," cried Glyn, into whose brain
now flashed a memory of a late conversation and dispute with his
companion.
"I suppose you know," said Morris coldly, "that one of the Doctor's
rules is that the pupils should only retire to their dormitories at
certain times."
"Yes, sir, but--"
"That will do," said Morris, turning to go; and his cold, stern manner
stung the boy, whose mind was now flooded with the recollection of all
that Singh had told him, and a feeling of resentment sprang up within
his breast.
"I shouldn't have come, sir, if Singh had not asked me."
"That will do, sir," said Morris, affecting the Doctor's sternest
manner. "You know you have no business to be here, and I shall feel it
my duty to report the matter to the Principal."
Glyn was silent for a few moments, and then he started, for he saw that
Morris was evidently waiting for him to leave the room; so, going down
on one knee quickly, he locked up the trunk, with a feeling of
resentment growing stronger within him, and as he rose and faced the
master again his mind was made up. His father had told him more than
once that he looked to him to use his common-sense and do the best he
could in any emergency on behalf of Singh, and for the moment, as he
stood facing Morris, he asked himself whether he ought not to write to
his father. The next moment he was speaking. "I beg your pardon, sir."
"That will do, Mr Severn," said Morris coldly. "I am not in the humour
to hear any excuses."
"I was not going to make excuses, sir," said the lad, "but to say a word
or two about Singh, who is to me as a brother."
"What do you mean, sir?" said Morris sternly. "I mean, sir, that
knowing how good and generous he is, and ready to do anything
charitable, still I do not think that he ought to be imposed upon and
induced again and again to lend money to a stranger."
Morris stared at him wildly.
"And above all, sir, there is that belt of his, which it has always been
understood between us should be kept perfectly private on account of its
value. It ought not to have been taken to Professor Barclay's
lodgings."
"Mr Severn--" began Morris, and then he stopped, unable for a few
moments to utter a word. Then, in quite an agitated tone, he exclaimed:
"Singh has told you of all this?"
"Of course, sir. We never keep anything from each other, though I
didn't know he was going to take it till afterwards; and I feel quite
sure that the Doctor will be very angry when he knows."
"When he knows!" cried Morris. "Mr Severn, you are never going to tell
him this?"
"What do you think, sir? Singh is in my charge--by my father's orders."
"But, Mr Severn," cried Morris, "I--I am very sorry that I had occasion
to speak so angrily to you; but I--I felt it my duty, and--yes, under
the circumstances, I must confess that it was a mistake on my part to
take your schoolfellow there. And those emerald clasps--yes, I see
perfectly clearly now that it ought not to have been done. I should
never have dreamt of such a thing had not the Professor, who has been a
most unfortunate man, felt so deeply interested in the inscription."
"Yes, sir; I know all about that," said Glyn coldly; "and Singh told me
that this Professor Barclay wanted the belt left with him."
"Yes," cried Morris; "but it was not done, and I strongly commended
Singh for his firmness in refusing."
"Yes, sir, I know that too," said Glyn; "and Singh must not go to this
man's apartments again."
"My dear young friend," cried Morris, whose brow was damp with
perspiration, "I quite agree with you there. It was rather thoughtless
on my part--a slip such as we are all liable to make. I was led away by
the literary part of the question, and I somehow thought that it would
be to the advantage of our young fellow--student if he learned from a
good authority a little more about the inscription upon those stones."
"Yes, sir; there was no harm in that," said Glyn quietly.
"No, Severn, not the slightest, and as soon as I found the Professor
making such a request--one that he certainly ought not to have made--I
repented very bitterly of that which I felt to be a gross error on my
part. There," he continued, with a half-laugh, "you see I can speak
frankly when I have made a mistake. I hope you will always do the same.
But, of course, you do not think it in the slightest degree necessary
that you should make any report about this to the Doctor?"
"What do you think, sir?" said Glyn coldly.
Morris uttered a gasp, and, looking wildly in the young speaker's eyes,
he felt behind him till one hand touched a chair-back, and then he sank
down speechless, to seek for his pocket-handkerchief and wipe his wet
brow.
"What do I think?" he said, at last, with a groan. "I think it means
ruin for me. Mr Severn, I have apologised for speaking so sharply to
you, and now I must humble myself to you. If you report this to the
Doctor only one thing can follow. I shall have lost his confidence for
ever, and he will tell me at once to send in my resignation. Mr
Severn, you and your young companion don't know what it is to be poor.
The loss of my post here under such circumstances, due to a weak desire
to help a fellow-master in distress, would be quite sufficient to injure
me dreadfully. If I have sinned I am bitterly punished for what I have
done. This is a humiliation, a cruel humiliation, such as you can
hardly realise."
"Please don't say any more, sir," said Glyn quickly. "This hurts me
almost as much as it does you. What I have said was on behalf of Singh,
and I shall certainly not say a word to the Doctor, for I know that now
you will help me in watching over my father's ward."
"Mr Severn," began Morris, "I--I--Oh, I cannot speak. Try and realise
what I feel. But tell me once more, so that I may go away at rest: this
is to be a private matter between us two?"
"Yes, sir, of course," cried Glyn earnestly, and they separated.
"Well, where is it?" said Singh, a few minutes later.
"I couldn't find it," was Glyn's reply. "Here you had better take your
keys."