by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER V.
A TERRIBLE ACCUSATION.
TWO days later, as Frank was about to start for the cricket-field, asmall boy, whom he recognised as a son of Perkins, stopped him.
"Father wants to speak to you perticular, Mr. Norris."
"All right, young un, I will go round there at once."
Wondering what Perkins could have to say to him, Frank took his way tothe public-house.
"What is it, Perkins?" he asked the prize-fighter as the latter let himinto his private parlour.
"Well sir, there's a rumpus over this business as we had the othernight."
"How a rumpus, Perkins?"
"Well, sir, there was a tall red-haired chap--leastways I hear as he'stall and red-headed, and is a tailor by trade; his name is Suggs. Itseems as how he got knocked down in the scrummage, and was so bad thatthe police, who came up after you left, took him to hospital; theybrought him round all right, but it seems as how the bridge of his nosewas broke, and it will be flat to his face for the rest of his life. NowI fancy that's a piece of your handiwork, Mr. Norris; I saw jist such achap as that go down when you hit him, and I thought to myself at thetime what a onener it was."
"Yes, I did knock down just such a fellow," Frank said, "and I am sorryI hit him so hard; I was afraid at the time that I hurt him."
"You should not let out from the shoulder in that sort of way, Mr.Norris," the pugilist said, shaking his head; "you hit like the kick ofa horse, and you never know what mayn't come of them sort of blows. No,sir; half-armed hitting is the thing for a general row; it hurts just asmuch, and is just as good for closing up an eye, but it don't do nogeneral damage, so to speak. Now, sir, there's a row over the business.In course I holds my tongue; but they says as four of the party wasyoung uns, and they guessed as they was gents. Now they puts thingstogether, and have found out as I gives lessons to some of youWestminster gents, and they guesses as some of you was with me. Now, asI tells them, what can they do? They was the first to begin it, and wewas only standing on self-defence, that's the way I puts it. Nomagistrate would look at the charge for a minute. It stands to reasonthat nine men did not attack four or five hundred. They must have beenattacking us, that's clear to any one; and if it was me I should notcare the snap of a finger about it--that's what I tells the red-hairedtailor when he came here with two of his pals this morning. 'We has asmuch right to our opinions as you have; you attacks us,' says I, 'and wegives you pepper, that's all about it.' 'His beauty's spoilt for life,'says one of his mates. 'He never had no beauty to spoil,' says I, 'bythe look of 'im,' so we got to words. 'They was Westminster boys,' sayshe. 'That's all you knows about it,' says I. 'I will go to theirmasters,' says he, 'and report the case, and show him my nose,' says he.'You have got no case to report,' says I, 'and no nose to show.' 'Wewill see about that,' says he; 'I ain't going to be made an object forthe rest of my life for nothing.'
"So we goes on arguing; but at last he lets out that if I bring him a'tenner' in the course of the week he will shut up. I ain't allowed ofcourse, Mr. Norris, that any of you young gents had a hand in the fray,quite the contrary; but he has got it into his head that it is so, andhe has made up his mind that he will go to the master. I don't think itlikely that they could spot you, for they could hardly have got a fairlook at your faces."
"No," Frank said, "I don't suppose they would recognise any of us; butthe first thing Litter would do would be to ask us if any of us wereconcerned in the affair. It's a beastly nuisance, for just now I happento be completely cleaned out, and I am sure I do not know where I couldget ten pounds from."
"If it had been any other time I could have helped you, Mr. Norris, butI paid my brewers only last night, and I ain't got two quid in thehouse; but I might manage to get it for you by the end of the week, ifthere ain't no other way. But my advice to you would be, let thered-haired man go to the master; if you keep your own counsel, no onecan swear it out against you."
"No, I won't do that, Perkins," Frank said, "it's known in the house;besides, if I am asked I must say it's me. Thank you for your offer. Iwill see you again in a day or two."
Frank walked back to his boarding-house, moody and dejected. Harris wasin his room working. Frank told him what had happened.
"This is a bad business indeed," Harris said. "By Jove! if it comes out,Litter would expel the four of us. What is to be done? I am sure I don'tknow."
"I don't see where I am to get ten pounds; I have only got fifteenshillings now."
"I have only seven and sixpence," Harris said. "I have paid Shotten'sbill for last term this week, and I know that Travers and James have notmuch more than I have. We might get something on our watches; but theyare all silver, and I don't suppose we could get more than a poundapiece for them. But still that's something, and with our united silverwould make up six pounds."
"I could get a pound or two from my cousin," Frank said; "Fred alwaysseems to be well supplied with money."
"Because he never spends any," Harris said. "I am mistaken if Barkleywill lend you anything."
"Oh, he will lend it if he's got it." But Harris turned out to be right.After the next school Frank laid the case before his cousin, wholistened in silence to the story.
"I am very sorry, Frank," he said when he had finished, "but I amentirely out of money at present."
"I thought you always had money," Frank said shortly.
"Not always," Fred replied quietly. "As you know, I am fond of books,and last week I paid my bill for that edition of Shakespeare that youwere admiring."
Fred Barkley had indeed a library of books of which he was very proud,and which was worth more than all those belonging to the rest of theboys up College together. Frank was too proud to suggest that hiscousin could, if he chose, easily raise the amount required on a few ofhis favourites, and left the room without saying a word.
Fred Barkley did not continue the work upon which he was engaged afterhis cousin had left the room, but sat looking fixedly at the papersbefore him.
"This is a grand opportunity," he muttered to himself, "and I should bea fool if I let it slip. The question is, how is it best to be managed.I should be an idiot indeed if I cannot put a spoke into Master Frank'swheel somehow."
The next day the Sixth Form, as usual, went into the library to do theirconstruing. Dr. Litter, according to his usual custom, walked up anddown hearing them and asking questions, the form sitting at their desks,which ran round the room. The Doctor was a fidgety man, and was alwayseither twirling his watch-chain or eye-glass, or rattling the keys,knife, and other articles in his trousers pockets. Being perfectlyconscious of the habit, he often emptied the contents of his pocket onto the table before starting to walk about the room, and this he did onthe present occasion.
As often happened, he was called from the room in the course of thelesson, and, ordering the boys to get up twenty additional lines oftheir Greek play in his absence, he left the room and did not return forhalf an hour. While he was away the boys moved freely about, some toconsult each other's lexicons, others to chat. When Dr. Litter returnedthe lesson was finished, and the boys went back to the great schoolroom.
On the following morning Frank Norris received a letter. On his openingit he found, to his astonishment, that it contained only a bank-notefor ten pounds, with the words "From a friend." Frank was simplyastounded.
Who on earth could have sent him the exact sum of which he stood inneed? He at once told his three friends what had occurred, and they wereas much astonished as himself. All agreed that it was a perfect Godsend,though how any one could have got to know of his necessity for tenpounds at this special time none could imagine, as this was, as far asthey were aware, known only to themselves and Fred Barkley. Frank atonce concluded that his cousin must have sent him the money, andimmediately sent up College and asked him to come to his room. Fred sooncame up, and Frank at once proceeded to thank him for his gift. Fred,however, appeared as surprised as himself, and disclaimed any knowledgewhatever of the note.
"I told you, Frank," he said reproachfully, "that I had no money. Do youthink that if I had it I would not have given it to you at once, insteadof sending it in that roundabout manner? Do you know the handwriting?that may afford you some clue."
"No," Frank said; "the name and address, as well as the words within,are done in printing characters, so that it is impossible to say whowrote them. Well, it is an extraordinary business, and I can only saythat I am extremely thankful to the good fairy who has got me out of thescrape."
Frank felt indeed relieved. He felt sure that the head-master wouldconsider such an escapade by boys of the Sixth Form an unforgivablecrime, and that expulsion would follow discovery; and knowing the hottemper of his uncle, he feared that the latter would view the matter inthe most serious light. It was therefore with a light heart that he wentacross to the Black Dog and placed the note in the hands of Perkins,merely saying that he was glad to say that he had been able to get themoney to satisfy the red-haired tailor for his loss of beauty.
"It goes agin my heart to give it to him, Mr. Norris; but in course ifyou decide not to face it out there's nothing for it. I am glad you havegot the money together."
A week later one of the monitors informed Frank that the head-masterwished to see him in the library. Wondering at this unusual order, Frankat once repaired there. Dr. Litter was sitting at his table, and heraised his eyes gravely as Frank entered.
"Norris," he said, "I have been shocked at what has happened more thanat anything which has occurred to me during my head-mastership ofWestminster. I may tell you that everything is discovered. Now I leaveit to you to make a full and frank confession."
Frank was thunderstruck. So in some way his breaking out of bounds hadbecome known to the headmaster. The tailor must have turned traitor andpeached after having received his money.
For a minute he stood silent and confounded, while Dr. Litter looked athim gravely.
"I acknowledge, sir," Frank began, "that I broke out of bounds to go toa Chartist meeting, and that I got into a row there. I am very sorrynow, but I really meant no harm by it; it was a foolish lark."
"And is that all you have to confess?" Dr. Litter said quietly.
"Yes, sir," Frank said in surprise, "I don't know that there's anythingelse for me to say."
"You have not come to the most serious part of it yet," the Doctor said.
"I don't know what you mean, sir," Frank said, more and more astonished.
"You hurt him, and very seriously."
"Yes, sir, I broke a man's nose in the fight, but I did it inself-defence."
"And you paid him ten pounds to prevent his coming to me," the Doctorsaid.
"I acknowledge that I did so, but I don't see there was any harm inthat."
"And where did you get the ten pounds from?" the Doctor asked slowly.
"It was sent to me in an envelope," Frank replied.
"And who sent it to you?"
"I don't know, sir."
"Norris," the Doctor said sternly, "you stole that note from my table."
Frank stepped back as if struck, the blood left his face, and he stooddeadly pale.
"Stole it!" he repeated, in a low, wondering tone.
"Yes," the Doctor repeated, "stole it from my table when I left theroom."
"It is a lie!" Frank exclaimed, in a burst of passion; "it is a lie,sir, whoever said it."
Without replying to the outburst, the Doctor touched a bell which stoodon the table, and a junior waiting outside entered.
"Tell Mr. Wire and Mr. Richards I wish to speak to them."
Not a word was spoken in the library until the under-masters entered. Athousand thoughts passed rapidly through Frank's brain. He wasbewildered, and almost stupefied by this sudden charge, and yet he felthow difficult it would be to clear himself from it. The under-master andFrank's house-master entered.
"I have sent for you, gentlemen, on a most painful business," Dr. Littersaid. "I mentioned to you, Mr. Wire, a week since, that I had lost aten-pound note. I placed it on the table here, during the morninglesson, with my keys and pencil. I was called out of the room for halfan hour. When school was over I put the things back in my pocket, but itwas not until the afternoon that I missed the note. Thinking it over, Icould not recall taking it up with the other things from the table; butof this I could not be positively certain. As I told you, I could notfor a moment believe that any of the boys of my form could have takenit, and I could only suppose that I had dropped it between the Schooland my house.
"As it happened, I had only got the note the day before from my bankers,and had therefore no difficulty in obtaining the number. I gave noticeat the Bank of England at once that the note had been lost, andrequested them to obtain the name and address of the presenter, shouldit be brought in. It was presented yesterday by a man who, after beingquestioned, said he was a tailor, living in Bermondsey. As I wasdetermined to follow the matter up, I saw the Superintendent of Police,and a policeman was sent across to him. The man said that he had beenseriously injured by one of my boys at a low meeting held at some placein the New Cut, and that the ten pounds had been given him ascompensation, he having threatened to come and complain to me.
"He was ignorant of the name of the boy, but he had received the notefrom a prize-fighter named Perkins, who keeps a low public-house down atMillbank. I sent a note to the man, requesting him to be good enough tocall upon me this morning early. He did so. I told him that I had heardthat he had paid to that man ten pounds as compensation for an injurywhich he had received from one of my boys, and I asked him from whom hehad received it.
"He told me that nothing whatever would have induced him to tell; but ashe knew the young gent would himself confess the instant the questionwas put, for he had told him he should do so did it come to my ears,there was no motive in his keeping silence, and it was Mr. Norris whohad given it to him. On inquiry I find that the meeting in question washeld between half-past nine and eleven; therefore, to have been present,Norris must have broken out of bounds and got into the boarding-house atnight.
"This, in itself, would be a very grave offence, but it is as nothing bythe side of the other. I am most reluctantly obliged to admit that I cancome to but one conclusion: Norris, having broken bounds, and got into adisgraceful fray, was afraid that the matter would come to my ears. Itwas absolutely necessary for him to procure ten pounds to buy thesilence of this man; my own very culpable carelessness, which I mostdeeply regret, left the note on the table, and the temptation was toomuch for him.
"I have questioned him how he got it. If he had said that he had pickedit up in the yard, and, not knowing to whom it belonged, had veryimproperly, without making inquiry, devoted it to the purpose ofsilencing this man, I should have gladly believed him--for hitherto hehas stood high in my estimation, and I should certainly have consideredhim incapable of an act of theft. But he tells me that it was sent tohim in an envelope, by whom he does not know; and this absurd story is,to my mind, a clear proof that he must have stolen it from the table."
The two masters had at first looked at Frank with incredulous surprise,but as the narrative continued and the proofs appeared to accumulate,the expression changed, and they regarded him with horror, not unmixedwith pity. For a minute there was silence, then Mr. Richards said:--
"Strong as the proofs seem to be, sir, I can hardly believe in thepossibility of Norris having behaved in this way. He has always been aparticularly straightforward, honest, and honourable lad; there is not aboy in the house of whom I would so absolutely have disbelieved thistale. That he did send this note to the man there can, by his ownconfession, be no doubt, but I still cannot believe that he stole it.Come now, Norris, you have got into a terrible scrape, but don't makematters worse; tell us frankly the truth about it."
"I have told the truth," Frank said, in a low and unnatural voice. "Ireceived the note in an envelope; here it is, sir, with, as you see,only the words 'From a friend.' I showed it when I had got it to Harris,Travers,
James, and Barkley, and had not the remotest idea who it camefrom."
"To whom had you mentioned the need you had of ten pounds?" Mr. Wireasked.
"No one knew it except those four and Perkins, not a soul."
The three masters looked even more grave. The four boys were sent forone by one, and were asked if they had mentioned to any one the needwhich Frank had of ten pounds; but all declared they had spoken to noone on the subject.
"He showed you the envelope containing the note he received; what didyou think about it?"
"It seemed a curious thing, sir," Harris said, "but none of us couldaccount for it."
"I am accused," Frank said, in a harsh voice, "of having stolen thatnote from Dr. Litter's table."
For the moment the four boys stood in silent astonishment.
"Nonsense, Frank," Harris burst out impetuously, "we know you betterthan that, old fellow; if an angel from heaven came down and told me youwere a thief I would not believe him," and Harris seized his friend'shand and wrung it warmly, an example followed by his three companions.
Hitherto Frank's face had been hard and set, but he broke down now, andthe tears streamed down his cheeks.
"You can go now," Dr. Litter said, and when the door closed upon them hecontinued: "I would give much, very much, Norris, to be able to believein your innocence; but I cannot see a possibility of it; the evidence tomy mind is overwhelming. I acquit you of any idea of deliberate theft.You were pressed and afraid of exposure, and the temptation offered bythe note was too strong for you; you thought you saw a way of escape,and to account to your comrades for the possession of the money, youput it in an envelope and posted it, directed to yourself. Even now, ifyou will confess the truth, I will send you home privately, and avoidpublic expulsion and disgrace in consideration of the good character youhave always hitherto borne; if not, I must at once lay the whole factsbefore your uncle and guardian, and to-morrow you will be publiclyexpelled."
"I have nothing to say, sir," Frank said quietly; "overwhelming as theproof appears against me, I have spoken the simple truth, and I swearthat I never saw that note until I took it from the envelope."
"Go to your room, sir!" Dr. Litter said, with indignation, "thiscontinued denial is almost worse than the offence."
Without a word Frank rose and left the library.
"This is indeed a shocking business," Mr. Wire said, as he followed Dr.Litter to the schoolroom.
"I cannot credit it," Mr. Richards put in; "I know him so well, that,absolutely conclusive as I allow the evidence to be, I still hesitate tobelieve him to be guilty."
After school was over Fred Barkley ran up to his cousin's room.
"My dear Frank," he exclaimed, "we are ordered not to communicate withyou, but I could not help running in to tell you that every one believesyou to be innocent."
"I hardly know whether I believe it myself," Frank said bitterly. "Butyou can do something for me, Fred; I have written a line to my uncle,will you post it for me at once?"
"Certainly," Fred replied; "but there is some one coming upstairs, so Imust be off." He took the letter and was gone. It contained only a fewwords:--
"My dear Uncle,--If you believe me innocent of this hideous charge,which I swear to you I am not guilty of, send me one line by hand whenyou get this. As long as I know that you have faith in me I can face itout."
The afternoon passed slowly to the prisoner. His uncle would get theletter between three and four, and he might have an answer half an hourafterwards. Hour after hour passed, and, except the servant who broughtup his tea, no one came near him. He reasoned to himself that his unclemight be out. At eight o'clock he heard a noise on the stairs; a numberof feet approached his room, and then the door opened, and the whole ofthe boys in the boarding-house poured in.
"Norris, old fellow," Harris said, "we could stop away no longer, and inspite of orders we have come to see you. I beg to tell you in the nameof the whole house, and I may say the whole School, that not a boy herebelieves you to be guilty. How the note came into your hands we don'tknow and we don't care, but we are certain you did not take it."
"No! no!" was shouted in a chorus.
"So keep up your spirits, old fellow," Harris said, "it will come rightsooner or later."
For some time Frank was unable to speak.
"Thank you all," he said at last, in a choking voice, "it is aconsolation to me indeed to know that my old friends still believe inme; but, till my innocence is proved, I shall never be able to look theworld in the face again."
"Come, boys, this will not do," a voice at the door said; "Harris, youelder boys ought to set a better example to the younger ones. I told youthat the Doctor's orders were positive that no one was to communicatewith Norris."
"I can't help it, sir," Harris said; "we all felt we couldn't go to bedto-night without telling Norris that we knew he was innocent."
"Well, well, you must go downstairs now,"--not unkindly; "you must notstay a minute longer." There was a chorus of "Good night, Norris!" "Goodnight, old fellow!" "Keep up your pluck!" and various other encouragingexpressions, and the party filed out of the door; Mr. Richards waited tosee the last out, and then left Frank to his thoughts.
Not till ten o'clock did Frank give up all hope of hearing from hisuncle, then he felt he had been condemned.
"All my school-fellows acquit me, and my uncle, who should know mebetter than any of them, condemns me. I wonder what Alice said. I don'tbelieve she would believe me guilty if all the world told her."
At this moment the door opened quietly again, and Fred Barkley entered.Frank leapt to his feet to see if he was the bearer of a letter.
Fred shook his head in answer to the unasked question. "I have slippedout of College to see you, Frank, and Richards has given me leave tocome up. I have no news, I only came to see what you were going to do."
"You posted the letter to my uncle, Fred?" he asked.
"Yes, at once," he replied.
Frank was silent.
"What do you mean to do?" Fred went on.
"Do?" Frank asked, "what do you mean?"
"Why, I suppose you don't mean to stop here until to-morrow."
"I don't know," Frank replied, "I had not thought about it."
"I shouldn't, if I were in your place. It would be a fearful business;there hasn't been a boy expelled from Westminster for the last thirtyyears. I shouldn't stop for it if I were you."
"But what am I to do? where am I to go?" said Frank listlessly.
"Do?" said Fred, "why, go abroad to be sure. I should go out toCalifornia, or Australia, or somewhere, and in time this will be allforgotten. Perhaps it will turn out who sent that money. It is not as iffacing it out would do any good, for you can prove nothing. Every onewho knows you believes you innocent."
"Uncle Harry doesn't," Frank said bitterly, "or he would have sent ananswer to my letter."
"Ah! well, you know what he is," Fred said, "how passionate and hasty heis; but after a time he will think as we all do, never fear. Look here,I thought that you would want some money, so have been round to Ginger'sand have sold all my books. The old beggar would not give me more thantwenty pounds for them, though I have paid him more than double that,besides what I have bought from others. However, here are the twentypounds at your service, if you like to take them."
Frank remained irresolute for a moment; then the thought of the terriblescene in the schoolroom, and of the tones in which the Doctor wouldpronounce his expulsion, overcame him.
"I may as well go before as after, for I could not go home after that.Thank you, Fred, with all my heart; I will take your money and advice,and if I get a rich man I will pay you again. Are the fellows in bed?"
"Yes," Fred replied, "and Richards is in his study, so you can go downwith me and slip out easy enough."
"Tell the others," Frank said, "that I went because I could not face thescene to-morrow, and that I hope some day to return and prove myinnocence."
Without another word he op
ened his drawers, packed some clothes in asmall portmanteau, put on his pea-jacket and the low cap he had worn inhis unfortunate expedition to the New Cut; then he stole softlydownstairs with Fred, and sallied out into the night air.