rrel.

"Power, did you repeat what I told you about Kenrick to any one?" asked
Walter, next time he met him.

"Repeat it?" said Power; "why, Walter, do you suppose I would? What do
you take me for?"

"All right, Power; I know that you couldn't do such a thing; but Kenrick
declares I've spread it all over the school, and has just been abusing
me like a pickpocket." Walter told him the circumstances of the case,
and Power, displeased for Walter's sake, and sorry that two real friends
should be separated by what he could not but regard as a venial error on
Walter's part, advised him to write a note to Kenrick and explain the
true facts of the case again.

"But what's the use, Power?" said Walter; "he would not listen to my
explanation, and said as many hard things of me as he could."

"Yes, in a passion. He'll be sorry for them directly he's calm; for you
know what a generous fellow he is. You can forgive them, I'm sure,
Walter, and win the pleasure of being the first to make an advance."

Walter, after a little struggle with his resentment, wrote a note, and
gave it to Whalley to give to Kenrick next time he saw him. It ran as
follows:--

"My dear Kenrick,--I think you are a little hard upon me. Who can
have told Jones anything about you and your home secrets I don't know.
He _could_ not have learnt them through me. It's true I did mention
something about your father to Power when I was talking in the most
affectionate way about you. I'm very sorry for this, but I never
dreamt it would make you so angry. Power is the last person to repeat
such a thing. Pray forgive me, and believe me always to be--

"Your affectionate friend, Walter Evson."

Kenrick's first impulse on receiving this note was to seek Walter on the
earliest occasion, and "make it up" with him in the sincerest and
heartiest way he could. But suddenly the sight of Jones and Mackworth
vividly reminded his proud and sensitive nature of the scene that had
caused him such acute pain. He did not see how Jones _could_ have
learnt about the vehicle, at any rate, without Walter having laughed
over it to some one. Instead of seeking further explanation, or
thinking no evil and hoping all things, he again gave reins to his anger
and suspicion, and wrote:--

"I am bound to believe your explanation as far as it goes. But I have
reason to _know_ that _something_ more must have passed than what you
admit yourself to have said