Herb of Grace | Page 9

the nature of the husks given to him; he was so low and abject in his abasement that a word of rebuke would have seemed cruel. One thing was certain, that matters were serious--gambling and drunkenness were no light offences.
Malcolm had already been put into possession of the youth's domestic history. His name was Cedric Templeton; his parents were dead, and he was dependent on his half-sisters; his father had had heavy losses, and Cedric's inheritance had been small. The first Mrs. Templeton had brought her husband great wealth, but the money had been settled on the daughters. Mr. Templeton's second wife was a penniless girl. She had died two or three years after Cedric's birth, and Dinah, the elder sister, had mothered him.
"You must put a good face on it and write to your sister," continued Malcolm. "If you take my advice, Templeton, you will keep nothing back--' the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth'--and hang the consequences." Malcolm finished his sentence with a touch of impatience, for the boy's scared face almost frightened him.
"No, no, no!" returned Cedric vehemently. "I would sooner drown myself a hundred times over. Look here," plucking at Malcolm's coat- sleeve with his feverish, restless hand, "you don't understand--you don't know Dinah; she would break her heart, and Elizabeth too. They are such good women, they don't allow for a fellow's temptation; and--and I have broken my word."
"How do you mean, my dear lad?"
"I gave them my sacred promise not to play for money. I don't know why Dinah was always so afraid of that. They never thought of the other thing," and Cedric hung his head in shame--"they would not believe it was possible; it was always debt and not paying one's bills that Dinah feared."
"Your sister was right, Templeton," returned Malcolm somewhat sternly. "Wait a moment, I must think over things and see what is to be done;" and then he rose from the bench and paced slowly up and down. "A hundred and twenty pounds lost in a single night to a professional card-sharper," he thought. "The rogues ought to be shown up, only this would involve the end of the lad's university career." Malcolm knew the Proctor well--not even a first offence would receive a merciful verdict.
If only the boy would throw himself upon his sisters' compassion-- women were so soft-hearted and forgave so easily. But Cedric had refused this; he had even used strong language when his adviser pressed it.
"Obstinate young beggar," he growled; "it would serve him right to let him get out of the mess by himself;" and then he relented from his severity, and rapidly added up some sums in his head. The result of his calculation was satisfactory. He had just that amount lying idle at his banker's. His mother made him a liberal allowance, and he was beginning to turn an honest penny by literary work. At that time he was still an occupant of his mother's house, so his expenses were not great.
"Yes, I will risk it," he thought, with one of those sudden impulses that took other people as well as himself by surprise, and then he walked quickly up to Cedric.
"Look here, Templeton," he exclaimed, "I have made up my mind to go bail for the whole amount. It is too late now to do anything, but to-morrow I will see those fellows and give them a bit of my mind. Your friend the card-sharper will have to make tracks. Anyhow, I will pay up."
"Good heavens, Mr. Herrick, you don't mean--you don't mean;" but here Cedric could not utter a word more, for his voice was choked with sobs. Malcolm could just gather a few incoherent expressions-- "benefactor"--"God bless him"--"eternal gratitude," or some such phrases.
"Tut, nonsense," returned Malcolm testily; but his eyes were not quite clear, and he laid a kindly hand on the boy's shoulder. "I want no thanks, only you must promise me, on your word as an English gentleman, never to play for money as long as you are here."
"I promise--I will vow if you like--there is nothing--nothing that I would not promise you. Mr. Herrick, you have saved me from disgrace, and Dinah from a broken heart."
"Hush, hush!"
"No, please let me say one thing more. It is a loan--of course I understand that; it may be years before I pay it back, but if I live it shall be paid back, every penny."
"Oh, we can talk about that in the future," returned Malcolm quickly. He had little hope that Cedric would ever be able to repay him.
"It shall be paid," replied the lad firmly. "My sisters are very good to me--and I have more than I need;" and Malcolm's good sense and knowledge of human nature made him hold his tongue.
It would be a