st from behind the
screen and rushed in between the pair.

"Go back!" screamed Paradine. "You infernal old idiot, you've ruined
everything!"

"I won't go back," said Paul, "I don't believe in you. I'll hide no
longer. Dick, I forbid you to trust that man."

Dick had risen in horror at the sudden apparition, and staggered back
against the wall, where he stood staring stupidly at his unfortunate
father with fixed and vacant eyes.

"Badly as you've treated me, I'd rather trust you than that shifty
plausible fellow there. Just look at me, Dick, and then say if you can
let this cruelty go on. If you knew all I've suffered since I have been
among those infernal boys, you would pity me, you would indeed.... If
you send me back there again, it will kill me.... You know as well as I
do that it is worse for me than ever it could be for you.... You can't
really justify yourself because of a thoughtless wish of mine, spoken
without the least intention of being taken at my word. Dick, I may not
have shown as much affection for you as I might have done, but I don't
think I deserve all this. Be generous with me now, and I swear you will
never regret it."

Dick's lips moved; there really was something like pity and repentance
in his face, muddled and dazed as his general expression was by his
recent over-indulgence, but he said nothing.

"Give papa the Stone by all means," sneered Paradine. "If you do, he
will find some one to wish the pair of you back again, and then, back
you go to school again, the laughing-stock of everybody, you silly young
cub!"

"Don't listen to him, Dick," urged Paul. "Give it to me, for Heaven's
sake; if you let him have it, he'll use it to ruin us all."

But Dick turned his white face to the rival claimants and said, getting
the words out with difficulty: "Papa, I'm shorry. It is a shame. If I
had the Shtone, I really would give it you, upon my word-an'-honour I
would. But--but, now I can't ever give it up to you. It'sh gone. Losht!"

"Lost!" cried Marmaduke. "When, where? When do you last recollect seeing
it? you must know!"

"In the morning," said Dick, twirling his chain, where part of the cheap
gilt fastening still hung.

"No; afternoon. I don't know," he added helplessly.

Paul sank down on a chair with a heartbroken groan; a moment ago he had
felt himself very near his goal, he had regained something of his old
influence over Dick, he had actually managed to touch his heart--and now
it w