And then he laughed. It was such a delightful laugh that it ought to have been infectious, but Lucy looked grave.
'I suppose he was on his knees when you came in?' he said.
'Yes,' said Lucy shortly, but she didn't tell him that she had knelt down beside Eric and prayed that the life he valued so little might be spared. She was very angry with him; she could only trust herself to say 'Yes.'
'Oh, he is a good fellow is Wattles, but he has his little crazes.'
'He is a splendid fellow!' said Lucy warmly.
She was ashamed of her warmth the moment after she had said it, but they had reached the gate of Newnham by this time, and she was glad to say 'Good-bye' and run away. She left him standing at the gate waiting for the others to come up, while quite a dozen girls on the lawn were looking at him and admiring him, and making up all sorts of fine stories in their heads about him.
If they had only known what Lucy knew about him they would have made up a great deal more.