Channing. "I will speak with you later."
Constance followed him from the room, volunteering to procure the warm
water. They were standing in Tom's chamber afterwards, Tom bathing his
face, and Constance looking on, when Arthur, who had then come in from
Mr. Galloway's, passed by to his own room.
"Hallo!" he called out; "what's the matter, Tom?"
"Such a row!" answered Tom. "And I wish I could have pitched into
Pierce senior as I'd have liked. What do you think, Arthur? The school
were taking up the notion that you--you!--had stolen old Galloway's
bank-note. Pierce senior set it afloat; that is, he and Mark Galloway
together. Mark said a word, and Pierce said two, and so it went on. I
should have paid Pierce out, but for Gaunt."
A silence. It was filled up by the sound of Tom splashing the water on
his face, and by that only. Arthur spoke presently, his tone so calm a
one as almost to be unnatural.
"How did the notion arise?"
"Mark Galloway said he heard Butterby talking with his uncle; that
Butterby said the theft could only have been committed by Arthur
Channing. Mark Galloway's ears must have played him false; but it was a
regular sneak's trick to come and repeat it to the school. I say,
Constance, is my face clean now?"
Constance woke up from a reverie to look at his face. "Quite clean,"
she answered.
He dried it, dried his hands, gave a glance at his shirt-front in the
glass, which had, however, escaped damage, brushed his hair, and went
downstairs.
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