!" said Herbert, grinning and coughing behind his thin hand.
"What did the old girl say when she found it out?"

"She never suspected me," said Roy. "She couldn't think I would do
such a thing. And I--I lied about it. When she discovered the money
was gone and became distressed over its loss, I lied."

"You would have been a fool if you'd owned up."

"I was a fool to touch a cent of that money, in the first place. I was
a fool to listen to your blarney, Rackliff. Just because I was idiot
enough to believe in you, I made myself a thief and a liar. Oh, I've
been punished for it, all right. Never knew I had a conscience that
could make me squirm so much. Some nights I slept mighty mean."

"Paugh! You make me laugh. It wasn't anything to take a few paltry
dollars like that. You're mother'll never know."

"She knows now."

"What?"

"I told her."

"You did?"

"Sure."

"Well, you are a big chump! What made you do that?"

"I had to. You can't understand how rotten I felt when I saw her
crying over the loss of that money. I was ashamed and sick--oh, sick
as a dog! I made up my mind I'd pay it back, every cent."

"And so you can if you'll just get hold of another fiver and bet it on
Wyndham."

"I've paid it back already, all but fifty cents. Why do you think I
stayed out of school to work at any old job I could get? I'm not
particularly stuck on work, but I couldn't go on feeling that I was a
thief--that I had stolen from my own mother. That's what you brought
me to, Rackliff."

Herbert sneered. "That's right, blame it all on me and let yourself
out entirely. Now let me tell you something, my bucko: it was your
over-weening conceit, your jealousy of Springer and Grant, your itching
desire to see them get their bumps, that led you, as much as anything
else, to bet against Oakdale in that first game. You were sore on
Eliot, too, because he didn't put you in to pitch--and you couldn't
pitch a little bit. When I bet against Oakdale, I did so on judgment;
you did so because of prejudice and spite. Now, don't put on any
virtuous frills with me, for I'm not feeling good to-day, and you make
me tired."

The insolence of the fellow infuriated Hooker, who, nevertheless, knew
there was no little truth in what he had been told. Restraining
himself with an effort, Roy attempted to retort sarcastically.

"So you bet on _judgment_, did you? Well, you must confess your
judgment was mighty poor. And