Part 37 (1/2)
”I can't accept money, sir, for an act of humanity.”
”Oh! But I think I can convince you, my boy, that you _can_.”
”I'm equally sure that you can't Mr. Ripley,” persisted the freshman, smiling. ”But again I thank you for the intention.”
Lawyer Ripley was a good deal of a judge of human character.
He began to feel sure that the freshman was speaking the truth.
Just at that moment some one entered the outer office. Mr. Ripley glanced out, then said:
”I shall have to ask you to excuse me for a few moments. Fred, of course you have just thanked Mr. Prescott again for his heroic act?”
”N-n-no, sir,” stammered Fred.
”When I return I don't want to have to hear another answer like that,” warned the lawyer, sternly. Then he closed the door behind him.
d.i.c.k turned, with a dry smile.
”Since you're under orders to thank me, Fred, get it over with quickly,” laughed the freshman. ”I'll help you all I can.”
Young Ripley's better nature really was stirred for a moment.
”Of course I thank you, Prescott,” he stammered. ”It was a splendid thing for you to do. I---I don't know as I had any right to expect it, either, for I've been pretty mean to you.”
”I know,” replied d.i.c.k, with the same dry smile. ”You put Tip Scammon up to the High School locker thefts, to get me in disgrace, and unlucky Tip had to go to jail for it.”
Fred Ripley glared at the freshman with terror-stricken eyes.
Then, without warning, Fred made a leap for ward, to clutch d.i.c.k by the throat.
CHAPTER XXII
THE ONLY FRESHMEN AT THE SENIOR BALL
Side-stepping, the freshman put up one arm to ward off further attack.
”Come, don't start a fight here, Fred,” d.i.c.k cautioned the other, in a low tone. ”For one thing, you couldn't win anyway. Besides, your father would hear the racket and come in.”
”How do you know I put Tip up to that job?” demanded young Ripley, his face as white as chalk. ”Did Tip tell you all about it?”
”Not a word.”
”Then you don't know,” cried Fred, in sudden triumph.
”If I didn't,” grinned d.i.c.k, ”you've just confessed it.”
”You tricked me---I mean it's a lie.”
”No; it isn't, either,” a.s.serted d.i.c.k, coolly. ”Though the second chap, in that mix-up in Stetson's alley one night, got away before I had time to recognize his face in the black darkness there, yet as I fell and grabbed for the chap's ankle, I noticed his trousers with the lavender stripe. I had seen those trousers on you before, Fred, and you're wearing them again at this minute.”