Part 19 (1/2)

”Then you did!” he gasped. Their eyes had met sharply; both young faces were flooded with light, and it was much the same light. There was no nonsense about it, but there was indignant horror on his side, and indignant shame on hers.

”You really are at school?” she whispered, not increduously, but as one seeking a.s.surance in so many words; and in a flash he saw what she had thought, what she had been deliberately made to think, that his beloved school was not a school at all, but an Ayslum!

But at that moment Dr. Baumgartner was heard bargaining at the gate with one raucous voice, while the other went on roaring huskily, ”Park murder-arrest! 'Rest o' de Park murderer! Park murder-Park murder-arrest!” And Pocket sprang up from the table in a state that swept his last thoughts clean from his mind.

The girl said something; he did not hear what. He was white and trembling, in pitiable case even to eyes that could only see skin-deep; but the doctor's step came beating like a drum to him, and he was solidly seated when the doctor entered-without any paper at all.

”It's that murder the papers are all exploiting,” he explained benignly.

”They were shouting out something about an arrest; you would hear them, I daresay. But it's the usual swindle; the police are merely hoping to effect an arrest. I threatened to send for them unless the scoundrel took his paper back!”

He was in his lightest mood of sardonic gaiety. The sins of the vendors recalled those of ”your vermin press itself”; the a.s.sociation was wilfully unfair, the favourite phrase a studied insult; but the English boy was either dense or indifferent, and Phillida's great eyes were in some other world. Baumgartner subjected them both to a jealous scrutiny, and suddenly cried out upon his own bad memory. It appeared there was a concert at the Albert Hall, where ”the most popular and handsome pair in England” (the inverted commas were in the doctor's sneer) were being welcomed on their return from the ends of the earth. He had intended going to hear what they could do; but Phillida should go instead; she was not past the ballad stage.

And Phillida rose submissively, with unreal thanks which could not conceal her recognition of the impromptu pretext for getting rid of her; her uncle called a taxicab, and with harsh hilarity turned her off the premises in the frock she had been wearing all day.

”And now,” said he, returning with a scowl, ”what the devil were you two talking about while my back was turned?”

”Yesterday,” replied Pocket, more than ready for him, though his heart beat fast.

”What about yesterday?”

”Our scuffle in the other room.”

”Is that all?”

”No-I found out something; she didn't tell me.” ”What did you find out?”

”That you let her think me mad!” cried Pocket, in monstrous earnest. He might have laughed at himself, could he have seen his own reproachful face. But he could have killed Baumgartner for laughing at him; it did not occur to him that the laugh was partly one of pure relief.

”Why, my young fellow, how else can I account for you?”

”You said she would think I was a patient.”

”Exactly! A mental case.”

”You had no business to make me out mad,” persisted Pocket, with dogged valour.

”Pardon me! I had all the business in the world; and I beg that you'll continue to foster the illusion as thoroughly as you did yesterday when I was out. It's no good shaking your head at me; listen to reason,”

continued Baumgartner, with an adroit change of tone. ”And try, my good young fellow, do try to think of somebody besides yourself; have some consideration for my niece, if you have none for me.”

Pocket was mystified, but still more incensed; for he felt himself being again put gently but clearly in the wrong.

”And I should like to know,” he cried, ”what good it does her to think she's a.s.sociating with a lunatic?”

”She would probably prefer the idea to that of a murderer,” was the suave reply. ”I speak only of ideas; otherwise I should not make use of such an expression, even in jest. It's as ugly as it's ridiculous in your case.

Yet you heard for yourself that others are applying the horrid term in all sobriety.”

”I heard more than that,” returned Pocket. ”They've arrested somebody!”

”I thought I told you there was no truth in that?”