the kitchens and was going to
send me up some supper. In other words, he was going to try and smooth
over his despicable behaviour.

"A coward! A sneak! I hate him!" I muttered, as I stood there close
to the window, as if unable to drag myself away, but listening greedily
all the while, as Mercer went on in an excited whisper, insulting me, as
I called it.

"Oh, I say, do speak, Frank," he said. "I can't stop long, and there'd
be a row if any one knew I came to you. I am so sorry, Frank. I've
been down to Polly Hopley's, and bought a lot of her turnovers and some
sweet tuck. I want to send it up to you. Haven't you any string?"

I made no reply.

"Frank! I say: I know: tear up your handkerchiefs. I'll give you some
of mine to make up. Tie the bits together so as to make a long string,
and let it down. Frank!"

"Go away, you miserable, cowardly sneak!" I cried passionately; "and
never dare to speak to me again."

He was silent for a few minutes, as if stunned by my fierce words. Then
he began again.

"Oh, I say," he whispered, "don't turn on a chap like that when he was
going to stick to you. I couldn't help it."

I knew that the temptation had been too strong for him, but I was none
the less bitter against him, and my wrath reached its climax soon after,
when he said eagerly,--

"I say, Frank, I am indeed so sorry! and I'd have said it was I did it,
if it would have got you off; but they wouldn't have believed me."

_Bang_!

That was the window, which, in my passion at his coolness, I shut down
with all my might, and then went and threw myself on the bed, with my
head aching violently, and the sensation of misery increasing, so that
at times I felt as if I must try and break open the door, creep down in
the night, and run away somewhere--anywhere, so as to end the trouble I
was in.

I never knew when, but I suppose the throbbing in my head must have
lulled a little, and I once more dropped off to sleep, to wake up with a
start in the darkness, wondering where I was, and whether I had been
having a confused dream about a watch being stolen, and some one getting
into trouble. Who it was I could not quite tell, for my head ached, I
felt sick, and everything was confused and strange.

While I was trying hard to collect myself, I suppose I must have dropped
to sleep again, for when I next opened my eyes, the sun was shining
brightly, and, light-hearted and eager, I jumped off the bed to run