mitigate your offence. But you have set the machinery in motion and now it must take its course. I—I am really sorry you gave way."
A wave of emotion prevented Hill from answering. Suddenly very vividly he saw the heavily lined face of the old Landport cobbler, his father. "Good God! What a fool I have been!" he said hotly and abruptly.
"I hope," said Bindon, "that it will be a lesson to you."
But curiously enough they were not thinking of quite the same indiscretion.
There was a pause.
"I would like a day to think, sir, and then I will let you know—about going home, I mean," said Hill, moving towards the door.
The next day Hill's place was vacant. The spectacled girl in green was, as usual, first with the news. Wedderburn and Miss Haysman were talking of a performance of the Meistersingers when she came up to them.
"Have you heard?" she said.
"Heard what?"
"There was cheating in the examination."
"Cheating!" said Wedderburn, with his face suddenly hot. "How?"
"That slide———"
"Moved? Never!"
"It was. That slide that we weren't to move———"
"Nonsense!" said Wedderburn. "Why! How could they find out? Who do they say———?"
"It was Mr. Hill."
"Hill!"
"Mr.
