In the Reign of Terror: The Adventures of a Westminster Boy

half a dozen girls who had just finished putting up the decorations in the school-room. The first couple pass

have missed you at deco

land said, "and I am sorry I shall not be able t

le to. I want to tell you, Roland,"-and she hesitated. "I don't know whether people talk about such things, but I am sure you won't mind

you have said, and I want to tell you that whatever people may think, I and my mother know that my

o, Roland; it did seem impossib

ell-nigh beside himself, and he went away; but he is not guilty for all that, and some day I will prove it. Will you please tell the people-the

ther people say in future, I shall believe it as you tell me. Good-bye now!" And again shaking hands w

e? I would have stopped and spoken too, o

news," Cissie said, "and that I hoped i

ay you alluded to that! How coul

lad I did, for if I had not spoken perhaps he would not have alluded to the matter, and he told me that wha

arers, and Jane Simmonds asked, "What did

accusation. Of course Roland did not say that he was foolis

"Of course his wife and son say they think he is innocent, tha

u to be quite impossible; but, as it happens, I believe them entirely, and although I am a very

n as a sensible girl I should advise you to keep your opinion to yourself, un

out to be right. Brownsville is welcome to entertain the same opinion about me, and I am content that they should

ng him. On the morning of the sale she went to her brother's, Roland's plan having finally been decided upon as the best. The day before the sale Mrs. Partridge received a note from Mr. Johnstone saying that he should be glad to obtain a position for her son in a

rcy Johnstone spreading the news everywhere; it e

er has caused, to offer to put him into a situation. I should have thought that he would have been only too glad to h

lle would be a source of embarrassment and trouble to those who had previously been intimate with him, and it did seem strange that he shoul

id, in reply to questions, that he had not as yet offered any reward for the apprehension of the fugitive, and had not indeed instructed the police to take any steps in the matter. Rumours to that effect had already been current, for the police authorities, when interviewed on the subject, had

that Partridge would, in a few days at latest, be in the hands of the police; and now you meet us and tell us that you have done nothing. You said, in fact, when we wanted to go into the question on the morning after the discovery

y extreme urgency in the matter, I thought I would allow you to enjoy the holiday undisturbed. Now, as to the main subject of your remarks, namely, that I have taken no steps to secure the arrest of our late cashier. Well, gentlemen, I am aware that in not doing so I have assumed a certain amount of responsibility. Certainly, wh

s a gentleman of singular culture. Most of us have been intimate at his house and acquainted with his wife, one of the most charming ladies in our section. In all these years his conduct has been above reproach, and although he has had passing through his hands the funds of the bank, he has up till now accounted for them

y greatly to that which he must be now suffering. Imagine, gentlemen, a man with refined tastes and habits skulking, a fugitive from justice, perhaps by this time half-way across the ocean, knowing that he can never raise his head again in the society of honest men. There was nothing to gain, for you may be sure that the money has long si

take place, and the bank be compelled to shut its doors. And you know, gentlemen, that when you come to a forced realization of effects, how far the sum realized falls short of the value placed upon it, and how heavy the calls upon the shareholders to make up the deficiency! Well, gentlemen, we are all large

the loss did seriously compromise the stability of the bank, and that the less the matter was dragged before the public the better. The directors loo

is time he has crossed the Atlantic. Should he ever return to this country he will, of course, be prosecuted at once on grounds of public policy and as a duty to the shareholders; but at the same time we have no objection to its being whispered abroad that although t

to have escaped into Canada, and had made his way to Europe, and that the bank authorities were convinced that he had managed to take

not experienced, for he never showed himself in his old resorts, and was seldom to be met with in the streets. It was known that he had

rtridge lately?" Cissie

ave not seen him si

ee him, Tom? you kn

meaning to go every day, but what with the sleighing part

d not think that you were that sort of boy, Tom. I thought that y

though I really do mean to stick to him, you know. I have

a friend, and let your amusements stand in the way for ten days of your going to see a c

om said admiringly. "It is not every girl who woul

dn't a girl stick up for her friend as well as a boy, I should like to know? I liked Roland Partridge better than any of the boys in our set, and I don'

uilty, but I put that down to pure obstinacy. Well, you need not look angry about it, because I lik

Tom Fernlea, I suppose, as well as you have. Do y

All the years that I have known him I have ne

er are absolutely convinced that his father is innocent? I suppose they ar

for such a statement. Anyhow, I will go to see him this e

speak to you again, Tom

as told that he was out, whereupon he took post at the

e you. I should have called before, but you know how engaged fellows are, just at this time of the year. How

Roland said quietly. He led the way

as he saw a slight smile on Roland's face, "for I am sure that I should be horribly cut up if I were in your position. Do you think it quite wise, Roland, your determination to stop here? I should have thought that you would be only

f I thought my father guilty I would go right away, quick

se my saying so, but up till then I had thought as other people do; but when she said that you had assured her that your mother and yourself were thoroughly convinced that your father was innocent, I saw matters

was not in a position to prove it. He is a very sensitive, nervous man, and I believe he felt at the moment that anything in the world would be better than standing up before everyone who believed that he was guilty. I think that it was a terrible mistake; however, I can understand my father, whose disposition is entirely different from mine, taking the co

ou as to your course. I am very glad that you hav

ea that he was being watched, it would make him careful and diminish my chances. I

t a place yet, h

have always met with refusals; no doubt the pe

your motives are. The old man is no talker, and I know he used to like you very much

ne connected with the bank here has been speculating

course he knows lots of clerks in other offices. Now, if you don't mind my writing to him and telling him frankly

chatting about school and other matters, and when Tom took his le