little affair when it was over by a slight repast and a bottle of claret with his friend, and then to have gone back to Cambridge by the mail train. He found, however, that his schemes in this respect were frustrated. He had to get bail to attend at Marlborough-street police-office should he be wanted within the next two or three days; and was given to understand that he would be under the eye of the police, at any rate until Mr. Moffat should be out of danger.
'Out of danger!' said Frank to his friend with a startled look. 'Why I hardly got at him.' Nevertheless, they did have their slight repast, and also their bottle of claret.
On the second morning after this occurrence, Frank was again sitting in that public room at the Tavistock, and Harry was again sitting opposite to him. The whip was not now so conspicuously produced between them, having been carefully packed up and put away among Frank's other travelling properties. They were so sitting, rather glum, when the door swung open, and a heavy, quick step was heard advancing towards them, it was the squire; whose arrival there had been momentarily expected.
'Frank,' said he—'Frank, what on earth is all this?' and as he spoke he stretched out both his hands, the right to his son and the left to his friend.
'He has given a blackguard a licking, that is all,' said Harry.
Frank felt that his hand was held with a peculiarly warm grasp; and he could not but think that his father's face, raised though his eyebrows were—though there was on it an intended expression of amazement and, perhaps, regret—nevertheless, he could not but think that his father's face looked kindly at him.
'God bless my soul, my dear boy! what have you done to the man?'
'He's not a ha'porth the worse, sir,' said Frank, still holding his father's hand.
'Oh, isn't he!' said Harry, shrugging his shoulders. 'He must be made of some very tough article then.'
'But, my dear boys, I hope there's no danger. I hope there's no danger.'
'Danger!' said Frank, who could not yet induce himself to believe that he had been allowed a fair chance with Mr. Moffat.
'Oh, Frank! Frank! how could you be so rash? In the middle of Pall Mall, too. Well! well! well! All the women down at Greshamsbury will have it that you have killed him.'
'I almost wish I had,' said Frank.
'Oh, Frank! Frank! But now tell me—'
And then the father sat well pleased while he heard, chiefly from Harry Baker, the full story of his son's prowess. And then
