g advantage of
his silence I inquired in my natural tone and manner whether he had seen
Dr. Mildman lately.

"Umph! eh! Dr. Mildman?" was the reply--"why it can't be--and yet
it is--the boy Frank Fairlegh himself! Oh! you young villain!" and
completely overcome by the sudden and unexpected nature of the surprise
he sank back into a chair, looking the picture of astonishment.

Springing to his side, and pressing his hand warmly between my own, I
exclaimed, "Forgive me for the trick I have played you, sir. I knew you
the moment I heard your voice, when I was helping you up to-night, and,
finding you did not recognise me, I could not resist the temptation of
preserving my incognito a little longer, and introducing myself as a
stranger."

"Oh! you young scapegrace," was the rejoinder, "if ever I forgive
you, I'll--umph!--that I will"--then changing his tone to one of much
feeling, he continued, "So you hadn't forgotten the old man then, Frank?
good boy, good boy".

I had seated myself on a stool at his feet, and as he spoke he patted my
head with his hand, as if I had been a favourite dog.

"And all the things you said against yourself were so many lies, I
suppose? Umph! you are no friend to the homicide Wilford?"

"True to the ear, but false to the sense, sir," replied I. "Harry
Oaklands is the dearest friend I have on earth; we love each other as
brothers--between the man whose hand was so lately raised to shed that
brother's blood, and myself, there can be little friendship--if I do not
positively hate him, it is only because I would not willingly hate any
one. Lawless was an old fellow-pupil of mine, and, though he has many
follies about him, is at bottom more kind-hearted and well-disposed than
people give him credit for; we still continue friends, therefore, but,
our habits and pursuits being essentially different, I see very little
of him--with Curtis I never exchanged half a dozen words in my life."

"Umph! I understand, I understand; and how is Harry Oaklands? better
again, eh?"

~242~~The reply to this query led to my being obliged to give Mr.
Frampton a succinct account of the duel, and it was not till I explained
my intention of trying for honours, and made him comprehend the
necessity of my being fully prepared for the ensuing examination, that
he would hear of my departure; and, when at last he did allow me to
go, he insisted on accompanying me to the gate of Trinity, and made
me promise to let him s