"But why, boy .... why .... why didn't you say all this in school this morning?"
"I was afraid, Sir," said Gell, and then came the explanation he had given to Stowell. He had been afraid his father would get to know, and the girl's father, too—that was to say her step-father. Her step-father was a tenant of his own father's; they were always at cross purposes, and he had thought if the girl got into any trouble at the High Bailiff's and it came out that he had been the cause of it, her step-father....
"Who is he? What's his name?"
"Dan Collister—but they call him Baldromma after the farm, Sir."
"That wind-bag and agitator who is always in the newspapers?"
"Yes, Sir."
"But, good heavens, boy, don't you see what you've done for me?—allowed me to punish an innocent person?"
"Yes, I know," said Gell, and then, through another gust of sobs, came further explanations. It had all been over before he had had time to think. The Principal had said that nobody knew, and he had thought he had only to hold his tongue and nothing would be found out. But if he had known that Stowell knew, and that he had been out himself....
"And did he know?"
"Yes, Sir. He saw me with Bessie Collister as he was going to the station and he thought he couldn't get out of this himself without letting me in for it."