Even those who had not liked him were more friendly now; for there was something so shameful and wicked in trying to get him accused of that which it had been proved he was innocent of, that they could not but feel sympathy for him. Then the story of his brave deed in rescuing Elgert was strongly in his favour. After all, boys at heart love bravery.
But of all there, Warren and Ralph himself pondered most. Their friendship was quite restored, and together they talked and discussed, and wondered who it could possibly be who would want to harm Ralph.
And poor Charlton! Ah, how miserable he was now! He had his own weight of sorrow, and it was very, very heavy to bear; and after what Ralph had said he could never hope that they would be friends again.
"I suppose that I am to blame," he said. "Perhaps I took things too much to heart. I feel that I am never to have friends. I—I don't care! Rexworth might give me another chance; but if he won't—if he is so taken up with Warren—he can do as he likes. I don't care!"
Poor Charlton! He did care, for all his talk—care very much. He was lonely and sad; but he did not stop to think that Ralph had already given him chances, and that it was his own fault that he had not taken them. When we are miserable we are also apt to be unjust, and to put the blame for our own actions upon other people's shoulders.
And how interested and indignant, and yet withal delighted, were the St. Clives when they heard of what had happened.
"A clean reputation is a good thing, you see, Ralph," Mr. St. Clive said. "It is surely worth something to feel that people have such a high estimate of you as to realize that you are utterly incapable of doing a mean thing, even though appearances are so strong against you."
"It is just splendid to think how you have come out of it, Ralph!" was Irene's delighted comment when the two young people were alone. "It is like when wicked people tried to injure the brave knights of old, and when truth and valour and true chivalry triumphed over all opposition. There is something, even here and now, to be gained when people know that you are fighting under honour's flag!"
And Ralph had to acknowledge that she spoke the truth, and to own that he was now very glad that he had resisted the temptation to yield and to run away from his troubles.