Part 14 (2/2)

-88--”I insinuate nothing,” was my reply; ”but I tell you plainly that I believe, and have good reason for believing, that you have not lost the letter, but given it to your gambling friend and accomplice, Captain Spicer, who, in return for it, is to give you a receipt in full for the two hundred pounds you owe him, and fifty pounds down.” On hearing this c.u.mberland turned as pale as ashes, and leaned on the back of a chair for support, while I continued, ”You look surprised, Oaklands, as well you may; but when you hear what I have to tell, you will see that I do not make this accusation without having good grounds to go upon ”.

”I shall not stay here,” said c.u.mberland, making an effort to recover himself, and turning towards the door, ”I shall not remain here to be any further insulted; I wish you good-evening, Mr. Oaklands.”

”Not so fast,” said Oaklands, springing to the door, and locking it; ”if all this be true, and Fairlegh would not have said so much unless he had strong facts to produce, you and I shall have an account to settle together, Mr. c.u.mberland; you will not leave this room till I know the rights of the affair. Now, Frank, let us hear how you learned all this.”

”Strangely enough,” replied I; and I then gave him an exact account of all that had pa.s.sed at the billiard-rooms, repeating the conversation, word for word, as nearly as I could remember it, leaving Oaklands to draw his own inferences therefrom. During the whole of my recital c.u.mberland sat with his elbows resting on the table, and his face buried in his hands, without offering the slightest interruption, scarcely indeed appearing aware of what was going on, save once, when I mentioned the fact of the door between the two rooms being slightly open, when he muttered something about ”what cursed folly!” When I had finished my account Oaklands turned towards c.u.mberland, and asked in a stern voice ”what he had to say to this statement?” Receiving no answer, he continued: But it is useless, sir, to ask you: the truth of what Fairlegh has said is self-evident--the next question is, What is to be done about it?” He paused for a moment as if in thought, and then resumed: ”In the position in which I now stand, forming one of Dr.

Mildman's household, and placed by my father under his control, I scarcely consider myself a free agent. It seems to me, therefore, that my course is clear; it is evidently my duty to inform him of the whole affair, and afterwards to act as he may advise, Do you agree with me, Frank?”

-89--”It is exactly what I should have proposed, had you not mentioned it first,” was my answer.

”For G.o.d's sake, Oaklands, don't,” exclaimed c.u.mberland, raising himself suddenly; ”he will write to my uncle--I shall be expelled--my character lost--it will be utter ruin;--have pity upon me--I will get you back your money, I will indeed, only don't tell Mildman.”

”I have treated you up to the present time as a gentleman and a friend,”

replied Oaklands; ”you have proved yourself unworthy of either t.i.tle, and deserve nothing at my hands but the strictest justice; no one could blame me were I to allow the law to take its course with you, as with any other swindler, but this I shall be most unwilling to do; nothing short of Dr. Mildman's declaring it to be my positive duty will prevail upon me. But our tutor ought to be informed of it, and shall: he is a good, kind-hearted man, and if his judgment should err at all, you may feel sure it will be on the side of mercy. Fairlegh, will you go down and ask Dr. Mildman if I can speak to him on a matter of importance, now, at once? you will find him in his study. Let me know when he is ready, and we will come down; for,” added he, turning to c.u.mberland, ”I do not lose sight of you till this business is settled one way or other.”

When I had told my errand Dr. Mildman, who looked a good deal surprised and a little frightened, desired me (on receiving my a.s.surance that the business would not do as well after dinner) to tell Oaklands to come to him immediately. To this Oaklands replied by desiring me to hold myself in readiness for a summons, as he should want me presently. Then, linking his arm within that of c.u.mberland, he half-led, half-forced, him out of the room. In another minute I heard the study-door close behind them.

”Now, Fairlegh,” said Dr. Mildman, when, in about a quarter of an hour's time, I had been sent for, ”I wish you to repeat to me the conversation you overheard at the billiard-room, as nearly word for word as you can remember it.”

This I hastened to do; the Doctor listening with the most profound attention, and asking one or two questions on any point which did not at first appear quite clear to him. When I had concluded he resumed his inquiries by asking whether I had seen the parties who were speaking. To this I answered in the negative.

”But you imagined you recognised the voices?”

”Yes, sir.”

”Whose did you take them to be?”

-90--”One I believed to be c.u.mberland's, the other that of a Captain Spicer, whom I had seen when I was there before.”

”How often have you been there?”

”Twice, sir; once about a week ago, and again to-day.”

”And have you the slightest moral doubt as to the fact of the persons you heard speaking being c.u.mberland and this Captain Spicer?”

”Not the slightest; I feel quite certain of it.”

”That is all clear and straightforward enough,” observed Dr. Mildman, turning to the culprit. ”I am afraid the case is only too fully proved against you; have you anything to say which can at all establish your innocence?”

”It would be of no use if I were to do so,” said c.u.mberland, in a sullen manner; ”it is all a matter of a.s.sertion; you choose to believe what they say, and if I were to deny it, you would not believe me without proof, and how can I prove a negative?”

”But do you deny it?” inquired Dr. Mildman, regarding him with a clear, scrutinising look. c.u.mberland attempted to speak, but, meeting Dr.

Mildman's eye, was unable to get out a word, and turned away, concealing his face in his handkerchief.

”This is a sad piece of business,” said Dr. Mildman; ”I suppose you mean to prosecute, Oaklands?”

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