le, "are you
satisfied?"

"No, sir," said the man bluntly, "not a bit."

"Why, you insolent--"

"Silence, Mr Distin," said the rector firmly.

"But, really, sir, this man's--"

"I said silence, Mr Distin. Pray contain yourself. Recollect what you
are. I will say anything more that I consider necessary."

He cleared his throat, sat back for a few moments, and then turned to
the constable.

"Now, my good fellow, you have heard Mr Distin's indignant repudiation
of this charge, and you are obstinately determined all the same."

"Don't know about obstinate, sir," replied the constable, "I am only
doing my duty, sir."

"What you conceive to be your duty, Bates. But you are wrong, my man,
quite wrong. You are upon the wrong scent. Now I beg of you try to
look at this in a sensible light and make a fresh start to run down the
offender. You see you have made a mistake. Own to it frankly, and I am
sure that Mr Distin will be quite ready to look over what has been
said."

Just then there was a tap at the door.

"May I come in, sir?"

"Yes, come in, my dear boy. You have just arrived from the Manor?"

"Yes, sir," said Macey.

"How is Vane?"

Macey tried to answer, but something seemed to rise in his throat, and
when he did force out his words they sounded low and husky.

"Awfully bad, sir. The doctor took me up, but he doesn't know anybody.
Keeps going on about fighting."

"Poor lad," said the rector, with a sigh. "But, look here, Macey, you
must hear this. The constable here--Bates--has come to announce to me
his belief that the assault was committed by your fellow-pupil."

"Distin?" cried Macey, sharply, and as he turned to him the Creole's jaw
dropped.

"Yes, but it is of course a mistake, and has been disproved. I was
pointing out to Bates here the folly of an obstinate persistence in such
an idea, when you entered." Then turning once more to the constable,
"Come, my man, you see now that you are in the wrong."

"No, sir," said the constable, "I didn't see it before, but I feel surer
now that I'm right."

"What?"

"That young gent thinks so too."

"Mr Macey? Absurd!"

"See how he jumped to it directly, sir."

"Nonsense, man! Nonsense," cried the rector. "Here, Macey, my dear
boy, I suppose, as a man of peace, I must strive to convince this
wrong-headed personage. Tell him that he is half mad."

"For thinking Distin did it, sir?" replied Macey, slowly.

"Exactly--yes."

"