“I don’t know; tell your guardian the truth if you like, you must manage that. Only, if you come back next term I shall lay the whole matter before the head-master. And if you leave, and the money does not come, I shall give information to the police.”
“That’s fair enough,” said Buller; “take the chance, Saurin, if you are not a fool.” And the others assented.
Not one of them had any doubt as to Saurin’s guilt: his confusion and equivocation condemned him.
“What a cool fish you were to suggest that Crawley might have spent the money himself!” said Gould. “You regularly humbugged me.”
“You are assuming a good deal, I think,” said Saurin bitterly; “making yourselves accusers, juries, judges, executioners, and all. And I am very much in your power, for if this came to a trial, though I should certainly be found innocent of robbery, yet I cannot deny the gambling and having gone to Slam’s yard, and I should be expelled for that. So I suppose I had better agree to your terms. I will not come back, and—what sum did you say you demand as the price of your silence? Four pounds ten, or twelve, I think; you shall have it.” And turning on his heel with an attempt at swagger which was not very successful, Saurin went out, kicking the mat aside, and banging the door after him.
Of course Edwards had betrayed him, he said to himself; it was not for nothing that Crawley had been constantly with him since his accident. He longed to go to Edwards’ room and upbraid him with his treachery, but he durst not trust himself. He was not out of the wood yet; the other three could be trusted, but Gould must tattle, and if the story got abroad and reached one of the master’s ears, it would no longer be in Crawley’s power to hush it up. And then Edwards almost always had some one with him; but if not, and he saw him alone, could he keep his hands off his throat? From the throbbing of his temples when the idea occurred to him he thought it doubtful. No, he must not see him.
“How on earth did you find it out?” cried the others to Crawley when Saurin’s footstep died away on the staircase.
“I have promised not to name my witnesses unless it is necessary to call them forward,” replied Crawley. “I am very much obliged to you for coming here, and I feel that it is awfully bad not to take you into full confidence and give up names. But you see I have passed my word and cannot help myself. There’s one thing I can tell you, Buller. Saurin was the poacher for whose moonlight excursion you were taken up.”
“By Jove!” exclaimed Buller. “Well, I should have imagined that he might have done that, but not such a dirty business as this.”
“I suppose he felt himself up a regular tree, poor beggar!” said Robarts.