raycott? Pray, pray speak!" cried Richard.

"I sent for you to tell you, Frayne," said the tutor, in a low, deep
voice. "Sinking fast!"

"Dying?" cried Richard, wildly. "No, no, sir; don't say that!"

"The doctors have done all they can, Frayne. He is perfectly
insensible, and they say he will pass away before many hours are gone."

Richard groaned, and clapped his hands to his head, pressing them there
as if to clear his brain.

"More help!" he said suddenly.

"I have telegraphed for our greatest specialist."

"Ah!"

"And to the poor fellow's father at Cannes. A terrible business,
Frayne--a terrible business!"

"Yes; but he must not die--he must not die!"

Mr Draycott was silent for a few minutes. There was much he wanted to
say, but the words seemed loth to come.

"We must be prepared for the worst, Frayne," he said at last. "This is
a dreadful shock."

"Yes--yes!" groaned Richard.

"And I have something very hard to say to you."

"You cannot say anything, sir, that will make me feel worse than I do."

Mr Draycott shook his head.

"It must come, Frayne," he said at last; "so we may as well get the
matter over. Things look very black against you."

"Black, sir?"

"Yes. Sinjohn and Andrews both saw how strange you looked when you
passed them, and they followed, being agreed that something was wrong.
It was observed too, by others."

"I was angry, sir--in a rage."

"Yes," said the tutor sternly. "They saw you encounter your cousin, and
they heard nearly every word he said."

"And what I said, sir?"

"No. They tell me you spoke to him in a low voice, as if you were
begging him not to do something, and they gathered that it was about
keeping a trouble quiet."

"No, no, sir!" cried Richard wildly.

"That is how it impressed them, and they say that, when your cousin
refused what you wanted, you attacked him."

"No, sir! We fought; but I acted in self-defence."

"Indeed!" said his tutor, coldly. "They heard words, too, about debt--a
heavy sum--and forging--matters that should not be even known amongst
the gentlemen studying here. I find, too, Frayne, that you have been
mixed up with money matters."

"It is not true, sir."

"Your cousin declared you were. He was heard to say so, and if the
worst comes to the worst, Frayne, his words will be believed."

"Do you mean if he dies, sir?" gasped Richard.

"I do, Frayne. I have had a letter from that Mr Simpson, and I find
that