Neither of the boys enjoyed his breakfast that morning, and their
studies afterwards fared very badly, for their attention was principally
directed from their books to the door, which opened again and again for
some reason or another, but not for the delivery of the message they
expected.
Knowing the military precision of the Colonel, both boys began to wonder
at a quarter-past eleven why they had not been summoned, for the Colonel
had said in his curt epistle to Glyn--which "looked cross," so the boy
said--that he would be at the Doctor's at eleven.
Half-past was marked by the hands of the big dial, quarter to twelve,
and then five minutes to mid-day, and in a few minutes the masters would
rise; but there was no summons, and, what was more, the Doctor had not
been in the class-room that morning.
It was exactly one minute to twelve, and just as Singh's spirits were
rising fast from the effect of having fully settled in his own mind that
the Colonel would not come down that day, that his heart sank with a
rush, for Wrench entered with the familiar announcement that the Doctor
wished to see Mr Severn and Mr Singh in his study.
The boys followed the footman, and as soon as they were outside Glyn
began to question him.
"Has my father come, Wrench?"
"Yes, sir," said the man coldly, for since the beginning of the trouble
and the sharp examinations that had taken place, the behaviour of the
servants had been distant in the extreme, and such friendly intercourse
as had existed between the pupils and masters had received a decided
check. In fact, as the days glided away, the Doctor's establishment had
become more and more haunted by the evil spirit, suspicion.
"How long has my father been here?" asked Glyn.
"About an hour, sir," replied the man shortly. "I didn't look at the
clock. This way, please, sir. I am busy."
It was so different from the Wrench of the past that it sent a chill
through the boys, as they followed on and began whispering so that the
man should not hear.
"Go on first, Glynny," whispered Singh.
"Get out! I haven't lost my belt," was the reply.
"But the Colonel's your father."
"Well, I can't help that, can I? It's about your business. You go on
first."
"I shan't. I have got something wrong with my legs," said Singh. "They
feel quite weak."
"Come on together," cried Glyn, and he thrust his arm through Singh's,
as the door was opened and the boys uttered a sigh of relief in concert,
for the Doctor was not present, and at first they had to see the Colonel
alone.
It was a strange sensation that ran through both, a mingling of dread,
despair, and misery, as they gazed in imagination into the stern,
threatening countenance of the fierce-looking old soldier, and wished
themselves a thousand miles away. For Glyn felt more uncomfortable than
ever before in his life, and as he darted a quick sideways glance at his
companion it was to see no haughty indignant prince ready to stand
defiantly upon his rights, but a fellow-pupil appearing as mild and
troubled as could be.
All this was little more than momentary, and the fierce threatening face
they had come to encounter was all fancy made; for the Colonel's looks
as he held out his hand was very much the same as when they had dined
with him the last time at his hotel, and his salute was just a hearty
English:
"Well, boys, how are you? But you two fellows have been making a pretty
mess of it over that belt!" And before either of them could reply, he
continued, in his short, giving-order style, "Great nuisance and bother
to me. I have had quite two months taken up with your affairs, Singh--
Dour business, you know--and I shall be very glad when you are old
enough to take the reins in your hand and drive yourself."
"But, guardian--" began Singh, who was breathing more freely, the warm
pressure of the Colonel's hand having thrilled him through and through.
"Oh yes, I know, my boy; I didn't mean that. I am not going to be
pensioned off. I am going to be a sort of House of Lords to you two
commoners, and you will come and refer all big matters to me. Let's
see, what was I saying? Oh, I've been busy two months over the Dour
affairs. Got them pretty straight, and I was going up into Scotland for
a month's rest. I meant to write from there if you had been doing your
sums a little better, Glyn, and if you, Singh, had improved a bit in
your spelling, for the way in which you break your shins over the big
words in your letters is rather startling."
"Oh, guardian, aren't you rather too hard?" said the boy appealingly.
"But you weren't only going to write to the Doctor about that?"
"Humph! No. I had some idea about salmon-fishing when the season comes
on."
"Oh, fishing!" cried the boys in a breath.
"Yes," said the Colonel. "It won't be like getting up in the hills
amongst the mahseer. Bah! Here am I running away about fishing! I
caught a forty-pounder last time I tried, and a big fight too. But the
Doctor wanted me to come out here about this wretched belt business, and
I have had to leave my club and put off my journey to come down and see
about this.--It's a bad business, Glyn. I am afraid you have not been
so sharp as you should have been."
"I have tried my best, father."
"I suppose so; but the best's bad."
"Don't be hard on him, guardian," said Singh, laying his hand
affectionately on the Colonel's shoulder. "It was all my fault, and I
know better now."
"Know better? What do you mean by that, sir?"
"Well, sir," said Singh hesitatingly, "I know it was weak and foolish of
me to want to have a showy thing like that to wear; but I was not so
English then as I am now."
"Showy thing like that, eh?" said the Colonel. "Ahem! Well, I don't
know that you need excuse yourself about that. It's rather natural. A
soldier likes showy regimentals. I was always proud of my uniform,
boys. No, I am not going to fall foul of you about that, Singh, so long
as you didn't make a goose of yourself with it. But when you had such a
showy thing, you ought to have had gumption enough to know how to take
care of it. Well, it will be a lesson to you to know how to behave
by-and-by when you come out among your own people as a prince. You
won't go pitching your jewels about then as if you were asking people to
come and help themselves."
"But it was like this, father--" began Glyn.
"Halt!" cried the Colonel sharply. "Wait till the Doctor comes. He is
going through it all quietly with you, and he has asked me to sit like a
judge till it has all been put before me, and then I am to give my
verdict. He asks me to say whether the matter shall be placed in the
hands of the police. Well, one of you had better ring, and--"
As he was speaking, there was a tap at the door, which was gently
opened, and the Doctor said, "May I come in?"
"Yes, sir. Come in, come in. I have had my say to the boys, and told
them what I think about their carelessness, and to a certain extent our
young friend here, Singh, agrees, I believe, that it was rather a
mistake for him to have that piece of vanity at school."
"I am glad, Colonel," said the Doctor, seating himself, "that they are
ready to confess a fault; but as one who seeks to hold the scales of
justice evenly, I hope you will excuse me for saying that I think my
pupils are not entirely to blame; for--I beg you will not be offended--I
venture to think it was rather indiscreet on your part to give way to my
young friend Singh, however much he may have pressed you, and placed in
his hands so valuable an heirloom."
"Humph! You think so, do you?" grunted the Colonel. "However, it is
not of so much consequence. He has got plenty more valuable jewels--
enough to make himself look as gay as a peacock by-and-by."
"Excuse me, Colonel Severn," said the Doctor stiffly; "I think the
matter is of very great consequence. Not only is it a serious loss--"
The Colonel grunted again.
"But I feel as if the honour and reputation of my school are at stake,
and it was for that reason that I wrote and asked you to come down to
consult with me as to what steps should be taken now towards the
recovery of the belt. This, before placing the matter in the hands of
the police."
"Oh, hang the police!" said the Colonel shortly. "We can settle this
little matter, I am sure, without calling in the help of policeman A or
Z."
"I am very glad to hear you say so, Colonel; for it would be most
repugnant to me, and painful to my staff of assistants, and for my
pupils, I may add. There are the servants too, and the publicity in the
town, where I am afraid the matter is too much talked about already.
You think, then, that we may dispense with the police?"
"Certainly," said the Colonel; "unless," he added drily, "Singh here
wants the business carried to the bitter end."
"I, sir? Oh no!" cried Singh. "If I could do as I liked I wouldn't
have another word said about it. I hate the old belt. Can't even think
of it without seeming to have a nasty taste in my mouth."
"Oh," said the Colonel; "but we can't stop like that. I think, for
every one's sake, the shoe should be put on the right foot.--What do you
say, Dr Bewley?"
"I quite agree with you, sir. We have talked the matter pretty well
over this morning, and I have told you what I have done. I was bound to
question the servants, though all of them have been with me for years,
and I have perfect confidence in their honesty. As to my pupils, I
could not examine and cross-examine every boy. It would have been like
expressing a doubt of every little fellow's truth. It has been a most
painful thing for me, sir; and if you can help me or advise me in the
wearisome business, I should be most grateful."
"Very well, sir. I suppose I have had a little experience acting the
part of magistrate in India, where petty thefts are very common; and I
have attended trials in England, and have been vain enough to think to
myself that I could examine a witness or cross-examine more to the point
than I have heard it done in some of our courts."
"Then," said the Doctor, "you were good enough to suggest two or three
little things this morning. What should you do first?"
"Well," said the Colonel thoughtfully, "I think, first of all, it is due
to those gentlemen who act as your ushers that they should be asked to
join in our consultation."
"Certainly. Quite right," said the Doctor, and, ringing the bell, he
sent a message by Wrench to the class-room, and if the masters were not
there, bade the man find them in the grounds.
There was a pause in the proceedings here, during which the Doctor and
his visitor chatted about political matters, and the boys sat whispering
together about the last match.
But they had not long to wait. Morris came bustling in to bow to the
Colonel and take the seat to which the Doctor pointed, while Rampson and
Monsieur Brohanne came in together from a walk round the grounds.
Then, after a very few preliminaries, forming a sort of introduction to
the masters of the boys' father and guardian, the Colonel spoke about
the great unpleasantness of the matter and the Doctor's desire to have
what seemed like a cloud hanging over his establishment swept away.
He addressed a few words then to Rampson, who had nothing more to say
after declaring his perfect certainty that not one of the boys he had
the honour of instructing would have been guilty of such a crime.
Monsieur Brohanne, too, declared himself as lost in astonishment at the
trouble which had come upon them like a sudden tempest. No, by his
faith, he said, he could not think how such an outrage could have taken
place.
Morris was disposed to be more voluble, and the Colonel more ready to
examine him, while the master was prompt and eager in his replies,
sighing as if with relief as the Colonel at length stopped short and sat
patting the carpet with his right toe. "Well, sir," said the Doctor at
last, "seeing that, as I told you, I carefully examined the servants, I
had plunged as far as this in the mystery before."
"Humph!" grunted the Colonel, with his eyes closed, and Glyn and Singh
exchanged glances.
"The servants," said the Colonel softly; "the servants. Doctor, I
should like you to ring for that man of yours."
Morris glanced at the Doctor, who bowed his head, and the usher stepped
to the bell.
"Oh, father!" cried Glyn excitedly, "pray don't suspect Wrench!"
"Hold your tongue, sir," said the Colonel sternly. "Wait and hear what
is said, and don't jump at conclusions."