White Feather

ver the gas-stove in his study with a Thucydides. He had beenstaying in that day

e two had nothing in common. Drummond was goodat games--he was in the first fifteen and the second eleven, and hadwon the Feather Weights at Aldershot--and seemed to have no interestsoutside them. Sheen, on the other hand, playe

special dispensation, and since then Sheenhad retired from public life even more than he h

s which everybody knows, that they are in the blackbooks of the authorities, and that sooner or later, in the picturesquephrase of the New Yorker, they will "get it in the neck". To this classStanning and Attell belonged. It was plain to all that the former wasthe leading member of the firm. A glance at the latter was enough toshow that, whatever ambitions he may have had in the direction ofvillainy, he had not the brains necessary for really satisfactoryevildoing. As for Stanning, he pursued an even course of life, alwaysrigidly obeying the eleventh commandment, "t

o, being games' master had come a good deal intocontact with Stanning, and had not been favour

we annoy B. Sheen had found himself faced by this problemwhen he began to be friendly with Drummond. Their acquaintance, begunover a game of fives, had progressed. Sheen admired Drummond, as thetype of what he would have liked to have been, if he could have managedit. And Drumm

hade less than Stanning hated him, Sheen was under the painfulnecessity of

little exercise, and he made a resolution to diminish his hours ofwork per diem by one, and to devote that one to fives. He would mentionit to Drummond when he came in. He would probably come in to tea. Theboard was sp

d passage of Nikias' speech, in which that eminent generalhimself seemed t

red in moments of embarrassment. Since the advent of Drummond hehad avoided Stanning, and he could not see him without feelinguncomfortable. As t

tily at his Thucydides. Still, it wassomething of a relief that the

o a stroke."As Stanning was the only one of his rivals of whom he had any realfear, Sheen might have replied with justice that,

are, always staying

don't you take some exercise?""I'm going to play fives, I think. I do need some exercise.""Fives? Why don't you play footer?""I

omorrow afterschool."Sheen looked a shade more uncomfort

bly be playing D

ing. "_I_ don't care. Play wh

on matters connected with business, leavinghim alone in the house. On these occasions Mitchell the younger wouldwrite to Stanning, with whom when at school he had been on friendlyterms; and Stanning, breaking out of his house after everybody had goneto bed, would make his way to the Mitchell residence, and spend apleasant hour or so there. Mitchell senior owned Turkish cigarettes anda billiard table. Stanning appreciated both. Th

ot the note

eastly risky.""Risky! Rot.""We should get sacked if we were caught.""Well,

I will, Stanning," said Sheen. "It isn't worth it.""You mean you fun

that he is afraid getsunlimited applause and

e admission made him if possible,more

ill be sick,"

said n

changed t

rry," said Sheen, turning a deeper shade of red andexperiencing a redoubled attack of the warm shooting, "but t

escribed Sheen, too

cause you've got to know Drummond a bit, but you'll be sick enoughthat

o avoid me all day,and you won't do a thing I ask yo