Part 14

The lovely colour flooded Lallie's face. Her hand tightened on Matron's, and she gazed at her in breathless silence for a full minute.

"Do you mean," she whispered, "that you think Tony cares for me like that?"

"I am perfectly sure of it," said Matron; "and if _you_ are sure you can never care for him 'like that'; I certainly think it would be kinder of you not to come back next term."

Lallie's eyes were shining; she was very pale again as she suddenly leant across the little table and kissed the matron.

Without another word she went out of the room.

She had lunch alone with Tony and Miss Foster. It was a very quiet meal, and when it was over she followed Tony into the study to receive some last instructions about her journey. He was to see her off at the train, and being a methodical person he had made all arrangements for her journey to Ireland as well. He gave her marked time-tables and her tickets, and then looking down at her as she stood small and meek and receptive at his side, he said:

"Ballinger has been at me again, Lallie. He really does seem tremendously in earnest; and I think that if you don't intend to have anything more to do with him you should make it clearer than you have as yet. It would be kinder to put him out of suspense."

"Short of knocking him on the head like a gamekeeper with a rabbit, I don't see what more I can do."

"Perhaps if he had it in black and white he'd realise that you mean what you say."

"But I can't write to him if he doesn't write to me. It's you he bothers, not me. He has never said one syllable to me that all the world mightn't hear, since I came back from the Chesters. You can't expect me to go out of my way to refuse a man who has never asked me. 'He either fears his fate too much'----"

"Perhaps he's pretty certain he'd 'lose it all' poor chap," said Tony gently; "I can sympathise with him."

Lallie made no answer.

He took her to the station, bought her papers, spoke to the guard, and compassed her about with all the thousand-and-one observances that men love to lavish on women for whom they care.

As the train began to move, Lallie leant out of the window.

"If you look," she began, then crimsoned to the roots of her hair, and the train bore her from his sight.

"If you look--" Tony repeated over and over again as he walked slowly home--what could she have been going to say?

He went into the town and restlessly did several quite unnecessary errands at various shops. It was tea-time when he got back, and he had it with Miss Foster in the drawing-room. When she had gone he went into his study and sat down at his desk.

On his blotting-pad lay a volume of Shakespeare. It was not one of his own little leather edition that he always used, but a fat, calf-bound book from the set in the drawing-room.

He lifted it and saw that it contained one of Lallie's markers--a piece of white ribbon with a green four-leaved shamrock embroidered at each end. He opened it at the place marked, and there was a faint pencil line against the following passage:

"O, by your leave, I pray you; I bade you never speak again of him: But, would you undertake another suit, I had rather hear you to solicit that, Than music from the spheres."

The College Shakespeare Society had read _Twelfth Night_ at B. House only a fortnight before, and Lallie had pestered Tony to let her read Viola, but only boys and masters were permitted to perform.

Tony laid the book down on his desk and put the marker in his breast pocket. He looked at his watch and wrote a telegram to an old Hamchestrian who was one of the Under Officers at the Shop.

"If you possibly can, get me a ticket for the dance to-night. Can't get there till eleven; leave it with sergeant at door."

He rang furiously for Ford and told her to pack his bag. He was unexpectedly called away.

He caught the six-fifteen, which reached Paddington soon after nine, drove to a hotel, dressed, dined, and went down by train to Woolwich.

The porters marvelled at his lavish tips, and the cabman who drove him from the Arsenal station to the Shop came to the conclusion that the gentleman was undoubtedly drunk when he surveyed his fare.

His ticket awaited him, on production of his visiting card, and he was allowed to make his way to the gym., where the ball was held.

As he surveyed the brilliant scene his heart failed him for the first time that night. There were not half a dozen black coats in the crowded room, and just for a moment Tony again felt old and plain and uninteresting. He was far too big, however, to remain unnoticeable. One after another of his old boys found him and gave him astonished but hearty greeting.

At last he caught sight of Lallie. She was waltzing with Paddy--conspicuously handsome Paddy; and even at that ball, where good dancing is the rule and not the exception, there was something harmoniously distinguished in the dancing of these two.

Lallie looked white and tired. Presently Paddy felt her sway in his arms. "Stop!" she cried breathlessly; "am I mad, or is that Tony standing on the other side of the room?"

Paddy piloted her skilfully over to Tony. One glance at their faces was enough for that astute youth.

"How ripping of you to come!" he exclaimed; "but Lallie's a mean little minx not to tell me you were coming."

"She didn't know. I didn't know myself five hours ago. But I have something very important to say to Lallie--something that couldn't possibly wait."

Paddy chuckled.

"You may have the rest of this dance," he said; "and you may trust Lallie for knowing the best places for sitting out."

"Will you come?" asked Tony.

"To the end of the world," said Lallie, as she slipped her hand under his arm; "but I warn you, Tony, dear, with me you won't have altogether a tranquil journey."