THE PLOT THAT FAILED
The entrance of Lord Elgert interrupted the serious business being
carried on; and somewhat impatient, even if curious, glances were
directed towards him as he walked up to Dr. Beverly.
"I evidently come at an inopportune moment," the nobleman said, as he
surveyed the scene before him; "and yet, perhaps, it is a fortunate
interruption, if this lad is in trouble, as he seems to be"--and
he nodded towards Ralph, who met his gaze with some coldness. "If
my interruption is untimely I will withdraw." And he looked round
inquiringly.
"We certainly are in the midst of a painful inquiry," replied the
headmaster gravely. "I do not suppose that your visit is connected with
it in any way."
"My visit is wholly and solely to thank Ralph Rexworth and Tom Warren
for their bravery in rescuing my son last Saturday," was the reply.
And these words also caused something of a sensation, for, to the
school at large the adventure at the river side was still unknown.
The Head himself had evidently not heard of it, for he looked
surprised, and Lord Elgert continued--
"The two boys risked their lives to save that of my son, and I cannot
be slow in coming to express my thanks and admiration. If Rexworth is
in any trouble, I sincerely trust that any influence which I may have
will be allowed to weigh in his favour."
"Perhaps we had better finish the business in hand first," suggested
the Head. "It is connected with something of which I understand you
have already been informed. A banknote which was missing some time ago
has been recovered, and it was found in Ralph Rexworth's pocket-book."
"Dear, dear," said Lord Elgert, in grieved tones; "I am truly
sorry--very sorry. But the temptations to which youth are exposed are
great. It may be possible to overlook this unhappy matter for once----"
"Sir--sir," broke in Ralph, indignantly appealing to Dr. Beverly, "I
know that you have always been kind to me, and I ask you to protect
me from Lord Elgert's insults, lest I may forget myself and say words
which I ought not to say. I want no friendship nor influence of his. I
am not guilty, and I will not accept anything which will make it appear
that I am. As to saving his son, Warren did as much as I did, and we
could do no less for any one who was in danger, but I can honestly say
that I wish that it had been any one else than Horace Elgert."
A very ugly look swept over the face of Lord Elgert, and he stepped
back, remarking to Dr. Beverly--
"In that case, there is no need for me to interrupt you any longer--at
any rate, so far as this boy is concerned."
"Now, attention!" said the Head; and the school straightened up again.
"We have heard what Ralph Rexworth has to say, and some of you are
evidently quite certain that he is guilty--that he is a thief, and,
worse, a liar also--and that in face of what we have just heard. A
boy who risks his life to save that of another is surely not so poor
spirited as this. To believe that he is, is to believe that utter
contradictions can be reconcilable."
"Please, sir," said one lad, rising in his place, "there is one thing
which I should like to say."
"You may speak, sir," was the reply which he received; and the boy went
on--
"Rexworth says that he thought he took his pocket-book away with him on
Saturday. Please, sir, so he did, for I saw him take it from his other
coat. He laid it on his bed for a minute, and then looked at a likeness
in it, and afterwards put it into his pocket. So that if it was found
here this morning, some one must have picked it up and brought it back."
"That is most important, if it is true," said the Head, while Ralph
felt a rush of relief, and turned grateful eyes upon the speaker.
"Are you sure that he did put it into his pocket, and not either
replace it in the coat from which he took it, or leave it lying on the
bed?"
"Quite sure, sir," answered the lad confidently. "I saw him slip it
into his pocket, and I wondered whose likeness it was that he carried
about with him."
"It is my mother's, sir," said Ralph in a low voice.
And the Head nodded.
"Then, if this be true, a most wicked and evil plot has indeed been
attempted--one so bad that, when I discover those who invented it, they
shall surely be expelled. I am glad to have this testimony, although it
was almost needless, for I am already quite certain that Ralph Rexworth
is innocent--or, I had better say, that the evidence against him is
valueless.
"In the first place, this pocket-book"--and he held it up--"has
certainly been dropped, for its side is still stained with mud, and
there is the mark of a boot, where some one has stepped upon it. In the
next place--and this in itself is sufficient--a little mistake has been
made. Is this note yours, Rexworth?"
And he turned, holding the banknote to the astonished Ralph.
"No, sir," the boy answered, not knowing what to make of this turn in
affairs.
"Have you not such a thing as a five-pound note?" he was next asked.
And again he replied in the negative.
"Well," the Head went on, "it certainly is not the one lost by Mr.
Delermain. Every banknote, as I suppose you know, has its own number,
and this number is not that of the note lost, so that either some one
has been kind enough to make Rexworth a present of a five-pound note,
or else they have, by oversight, or through ignorance, put a note into
his pocket-book to make it appear that he is a thief, not considering
that it is as easily distinguished from the one which is missing, as if
it were for a different amount, and----"
The doctor paused once more, for Ralph broke down. He had kept stiff
enough so far; but now, as he heard that by no means could he be
accused, and that some one must certainly have done this out of spite,
his courage gave way, and he cried out--
"Why should any one want to harm me so? I have done nothing to make any
one wish me evil. I am almost a stranger in England, and yet people try
to do such things as that! I cannot stay, sir. I must ask Mr. St. Clive
to send me back. England is a wicked place, and strangers are treated
wickedly."
"Perhaps all England is not as bad as you think it, my lad," replied
the Head kindly, "though I confess that your experiences are enough
to make you form such an opinion. But do not decide hastily. I think
that out of all such trials you will emerge a conqueror, and I know
that such wicked attempts as have been made against you must, sooner or
later, recoil upon the heads of those who make them."
"I sympathize with the lad," said Lord Elgert, "and I take no offence
at the way in which he spoke. You remember, Rexworth, that if ever you
want a friend you can come to me. I think your decision a wise one.
This land is no place for you, and if you wish to return to your old
home, I will myself provide all the money which is required. I want you
to let me give you a gold watch--I have one for Warren, also."
"I will take nothing from you," cried the boy, so that all could hear.
"I do not trust you. For some reason you seem to hate me, and I believe
that you are at the bottom of all my troubles."
"Rexworth," said the Head, in grave remonstrance; and the boy checked
himself.
"I am sorry, sir. I ought not to have spoken like that," he said
penitently; "but Lord Elgert knows how impossible it is to take any
favours from him, after what he has said about my father. All I desire
of him is that he will leave me alone to fight my own battle."
Lord Elgert shrugged his shoulders.
"If that is so, I cannot help it," he said. "If you change your mind
and need a friend, you can come to me. Now for Master Warren."
"Please, sir," said Warren rising, "I don't want anything for just
doing my duty; and, anyhow, I could not take any present or reward
without first asking my father's leave."
Lord Elgert bit his lip.
"It seems that I am to be deprived of the pleasure of giving any
reward at all," he said. "In that case, I will intrude no longer, Dr.
Beverly."
And with a sense of discomfiture Lord Elgert departed, and the Head
again addressed the boys, enlarging upon the wickedness of what had
been done, and once more pleading that the culprit, whoever he was,
would act a man's part, own his wrong, and ask for mercy. Alas! there
was no response to his pleading, and after a short pause the Head
dismissed the school to its various classes.
But surely never before had Marlthorpe had so much to talk of; and
never before did the masters allow more talking. For the thing was so
bad, and the lessons to be learned so grave, that each master felt as
if it were almost his duty to bring the subject before the boys, even
to encourage them to talk of it, if in so doing those lads could be
taught that honesty and truth must prevail in the end, and that deceit
and wrong-doing must fail.
But oh, what a good thing it was for Ralph when Mr. Delermain shook
hands with him.
"My dear boy," the master said, "none can rejoice more than I do that
the clumsy attempt to fasten this theft on your shoulders has failed.
Had it not been shown to be such an attempt, I should still have felt
confident that it was so, being sure that you would not have done
this thing. Still, it is well to have it proved to be but an attempt.
Now, take my advice, and banish it from your mind. Do not even worry
as to who did it, nor as to their motive. These things will manifest
themselves in time, and until they do they are not worth troubling
about, nor allowing to interfere with your work, and particularly with
your chances for the Newlet."
And Warren came to him also, as frank and good-hearted as could be.
"I suppose that you feel as if you wanted to punch my head," he said;
"but I had to do my duty, old fellow, even if it were an unpleasant
one."
And to him Ralph had answered--
"I should have thought precious little of you if you had not done it.
Of course, you could not have done anything different from what you
did."
Charlton said nothing--only he looked at Ralph wistfully, and it seemed
as if there was something of relief in his eyes. Charlton was a puzzle
to Ralph. He could not understand the boy anyhow.
Nor was Warren the only one who came and spoke to Ralph and expressed
abhorrence for the attempt to brand him as a thief, and satisfaction
that he was cleared from the accusation.
But that same day, in a quiet corner of the playground, Horace Elgert
came across Dobson, and, seizing him by the collar, he shook him
savagely.
"You great blundering donkey," he said. "How did you come to do it? You
have made a pretty mess of things."
"Well," growled Dobson, shaking himself free, "it is no good to kick up
a row about it. No harm is done, only he has managed to get clear."
"But how did you do it? I cannot think how it was."
"Easy enough. I had five pounds that my aunt sent me. I am a favourite
with her"--and Dobson smiled complacently. "Well, I had that in my
pocket, and when you handed me over the other note, after I picked up
his pocket-book, I must have put the wrong note in, that is all."
"But what did you do with the one I gave you?" demanded Elgert quickly.
"Changed it up in the town."
"Changed it!" he gasped. "You idiot! Don't you know that it can be
traced by its number? I suppose that you wrote your name on the back?"
"Of course I did," said Dobson, looking very scared.
"Yes, and that note will come back to you, perhaps brought by a
constable. You have done a nice thing!"
"But I didn't steal it--you stole it!" cried Dobson, in alarm. And
Elgert struck him a savage blow.
"So you would turn sneak, would you? Well, there is no proof that I
stole it. There is plenty of proof that you had it, changed it, and put
your note into the pocket-book. You will suffer, and not me."
"What--what can we d-d-do?" gasped Dobson, his knees knocking together.
And Elgert answered--
"We must go up into town to the place where you changed it. We must get
that note back if we can, even if we have to give double for it. There
is no telling what will happen, unless we get hold of it."