“Don’t be hard on him, guardian,” said Singh, laying his hand affectionately on the Colonel’s shoulder. “It was all my fault, and I know better now.”
“Know better? What do you mean by that, sir?”
“Well, sir,” said Singh hesitatingly, “I know it was weak and foolish of me to want to have a showy thing like that to wear; but I was not so English then as I am now.”
“Showy thing like that, eh?” said the Colonel. “Ahem! Well, I don’t know that you need excuse yourself about that. It’s rather natural. A soldier likes showy regimentals. I was always proud of my uniform, boys. No, I am not going to fall foul of you about that, Singh, so long as you didn’t make a goose of yourself with it. But when you had such a showy thing, you ought to have had gumption enough to know how to take care of it. Well, it will be a lesson to you to know how to behave by-and-by when you come out among your own people as a prince. You won’t go pitching your jewels about then as if you were asking people to come and help themselves.”
“But it was like this, father—” began Glyn.
“Halt!” cried the Colonel sharply. “Wait till the Doctor comes. He is going through it all quietly with you, and he has asked me to sit like a judge till it has all been put before me, and then I am to give my verdict. He asks me to say whether the matter shall be placed in the hands of the police. Well, one of you had better ring, and—”
As he was speaking, there was a tap at the door, which was gently opened, and the Doctor said, “May I come in?”
“Yes, sir. Come in, come in. I have had my say to the boys, and told them what I think about their carelessness, and to a certain extent our young friend here, Singh, agrees, I believe, that it was rather a mistake for him to have that piece of vanity at school.”
“I am glad, Colonel,” said the Doctor, seating himself, “that they are ready to confess a fault; but as one who seeks to hold the scales of justice evenly, I hope you will excuse me for saying that I think my pupils are not entirely to blame; for—I beg you will not be offended—I venture to think it was rather indiscreet on your part to give way to my young friend Singh, however much he may have pressed you, and placed in his hands so valuable an heirloom.”
“Humph! You think so, do you?” grunted the Colonel. “However, it is not of so much consequence. He has got plenty more valuable jewels—enough to make himself look as gay as a peacock by-and-by.”