"Here he is!" and Richard was conscious of a tall figure in black
forcing its way through the crowd, scolding and ordering the people to
keep back.
"How did this happen?" someone said, sharply; and Richard gazed up at
the speaker, but made no reply, only stared with dilated eyes as a rapid
examination was made and the rough bandage replaced.
Then, in a dreamy way, Richard Frayne saw that his cousin was lifted on
to a gate, and a ragged kind of procession was formed, as the men who
had raised the bars on to their shoulders stepped off together under the
doctor's direction; while he seemed to be, as the nearest relative,
playing the part of chief mourner.
That march back appeared endless. People joined in, others stood in
front of house and shop; and the buzzing of voices increased till,
panting and flurried, the great heavy figure of Mr Draycott was seen
approaching without his hat.
"Much hurt?"
"Can't say yet, for certain," rang ominously in Richard's ears. "Fear
the worst! I want Mr Shrubsole to be fetched!"
"I'll go, sir; I'll go!" came from a couple of boys; and then Richard
felt Mr Draycott's heavy hand upon his shoulder as they still went on.
"A terrible business, Frayne; a terrible business!" he said; and for the
rest of the distance to the gate of the carriage drive these words kept
on repeating themselves to the beat of feet and the buzz and angry
excitement, as one of the policemen who had hurried up refused to let
the crowd follow to the hall-door.
Then, still in the dreamy, confused way as of one half-stunned, Richard
Frayne paced up and down the dining-room, hearing from time to time what
was going on, for he had been sent out of his cousin's room by the
doctor. Here he was conscious of the fact that his fellow-pupils all
kept aloof, grouping together and talking in low tones. They were
discussing the affray, he knew, and a word here and there told him that
the causes of the encounter were well to the fore.
Twice over he heard something which made him draw near, but his approach
was followed by a dead silence, and the blood flushed to his temples;
but that was no time for angry remonstrance, and he shrank away.
"They don't know!" he muttered, as he resumed his weary walk up and down
till Andrews, who acted the part of scout, entered the room to
communicate what he had gathered on the stairs.
Richard went to him, but the lad avoided his eyes and turned to his
companions, to whom he whispered a few words, and then went out again to
get more news.
This went on over and over again, with the feeling growing on Richard
that he was to be "sent to Coventry," the two who had witnessed the
encounter having evidently heard a great deal that passed between the
cousins and communicated the words that had fallen at the time.
All this was maddening, but it was overborne by the one dread thought--
Suppose Mark really were dead, what should he do?
The leaden minutes went slowly on, and somehow he gathered that the two
doctors had been performing a crucial operation and one of them had
gone; and, unable to bear the suspense longer, Richard turned to go and
ask for himself, when the door was opened and Jerry appeared, to raise
his hand and beckon to him to come out.
Richard obeyed the sign, and hurried into the hall in the midst of a
profound silence.
"How is he?" whispered the lad, excitedly; and the man shook his head.
"Don't ask me, sir," he cried. "Master wants to see you in the study."
Richard uttered a low, piteous sigh, and everything seemed to swing
round him, while an intense desire came to rash wildly out of the house
and hurry away anywhere--to woods, or out on some vast plain, where he
would be alone to think, if it were possible, and get rid of the violent
throbbing in his brain.
"Oh, I shall go mad!" he muttered.
At that moment Jerry threw open the study door, and, trying to nerve
himself for the encounter, Richard entered, to find the great tutor
standing, with his hands behind him, before the fireless grate.
"How is he, Mr Draycott? Pray, pray speak!" cried Richard.
"I sent for you to tell you, Frayne," said the tutor, in a low, deep
voice. "Sinking fast!"
"Dying?" cried Richard, wildly. "No, no, sir; don't say that!"
"The doctors have done all they can, Frayne. He is perfectly
insensible, and they say he will pass away before many hours are gone."
Richard groaned, and clapped his hands to his head, pressing them there
as if to clear his brain.
"More help!" he said suddenly.
"I have telegraphed for our greatest specialist."
"Ah!"
"And to the poor fellow's father at Cannes. A terrible business,
Frayne--a terrible business!"
"Yes; but he must not die--he must not die!"
Mr Draycott was silent for a few minutes. There was much he wanted to
say, but the words seemed loth to come.
"We must be prepared for the worst, Frayne," he said at last. "This is
a dreadful shock."
"Yes--yes!" groaned Richard.
"And I have something very hard to say to you."
"You cannot say anything, sir, that will make me feel worse than I do."
Mr Draycott shook his head.
"It must come, Frayne," he said at last; "so we may as well get the
matter over. Things look very black against you."
"Black, sir?"
"Yes. Sinjohn and Andrews both saw how strange you looked when you
passed them, and they followed, being agreed that something was wrong.
It was observed too, by others."
"I was angry, sir--in a rage."
"Yes," said the tutor sternly. "They saw you encounter your cousin, and
they heard nearly every word he said."
"And what I said, sir?"
"No. They tell me you spoke to him in a low voice, as if you were
begging him not to do something, and they gathered that it was about
keeping a trouble quiet."
"No, no, sir!" cried Richard wildly.
"That is how it impressed them, and they say that, when your cousin
refused what you wanted, you attacked him."
"No, sir! We fought; but I acted in self-defence."
"Indeed!" said his tutor, coldly. "They heard words, too, about debt--a
heavy sum--and forging--matters that should not be even known amongst
the gentlemen studying here. I find, too, Frayne, that you have been
mixed up with money matters."
"It is not true, sir."
"Your cousin declared you were. He was heard to say so, and if the
worst comes to the worst, Frayne, his words will be believed."
"Do you mean if he dies, sir?" gasped Richard.
"I do, Frayne. I have had a letter from that Mr Simpson, and I find
that he came to you this morning to be paid, and that sharp words passed
between you in your room. This is all very bad, Frayne, and, confused
though it is, it goes against you. The police--"
"What?" cried Richard.
"Were for arresting you at once."
"Arresting me? What for?" cried the young man, indignantly.
"For a murderous assault upon your cousin; but I would not hear of it
now. I said that you would be here if it was found necessary to proceed
against you."
"Oh, but this is madness, sir!" cried Richard, excitedly. "They could
not do that!"
The tutor shook his head.
"We must look troubles in the face, Frayne," he said. "If matters come
to the worst, there must be an inquest, and, whatever you may say, your
fellow-pupils' words will have weight."
Richard literally staggered, and gazed wildly at the heavy face of his
tutor, who went on slowly--
"It is a terrible business, Frayne, and a fearful blow for me. I cannot
blame myself. I always treat those who study with me as gentlemen, and
if the poor fellow upstairs does sink, the consequences must be crushing
for you."
"Never mind me, sir; let's think of my cousin. He must get better!
There, I can think more clearly now. It is as if my head does not feel
so shut up and strange. I won't try to defend myself, sir; but Andrews
and Sinjohn are wrong. I am innocent."
"But you struck your cousin down."
"Yes, sir; I was nearly mad with passion."
"Ah!" sighed the tutor.
"But it was in fair fighting, sir!"
"I am afraid, Frayne, it is manslaughter; and now let us bring this
painful interview to a close. You will have the goodness to go up to
your room, and to stay there until I ask you to come down. Stop! I
think it would be better for you to have legal advice. This is all so
new to me!"
"I'm going to my room--to stay there, sir--but don't do anything about
me till we hear what the great doctor says; it may not be so bad. Can I
see my cousin now?"
"No. The doctor's orders are that no one but the nurse is to enter his
room. There, let us end this painful interview."
"I am innocent, sir, indeed!" it was upon Richard's lips to say; but the
stern, doubting look on the tutor's face checked him, and he went slowly
up to his room, utterly crushed as he sank into a chair, conscious the
next moment that the curtain which separated it from his bedchamber was
pushed aside, and Jerry appeared.
"Been a-waiting, sir. They're a-saying, sir, that you tried to kill Mr
Mark Frayne because he was going to tell on you about some money
troubles. It ain't true, is it, sir?"
"True!" cried Richard, flushing indignantly.
"I knowed it wasn't!" said Jerry, triumphantly. "You couldn't ha' done
such a thing, S'Richard; but I wouldn't ha' believed as you could hit so
hard."
"Go now, please."
"Yes, sir, just a-going; but don't you take on, sir. P'raps he'll get
better; but, if he don't--well, sir, he's your cousin, but--"
"That will do; now go."
Jerry gave his mouth a slap, and hurried from the room.