“I hope, Mr Branscombe, your son is no worse. We should be sorry to lose him. We looked upon him as a promising boy.”
The gentleman looked hard at the doctor.
“You surely say this to spare my feelings. Dr Ponsford. Of course I understand my son can never return here.”
“Is that so? I am truly sorry.”
“You would be the last to wish him to return to a school in which his name has been so disgraced.”
It was the doctor’s turn to look astonished.
“Disgraced? Branscombe was always one of our model boys.”
“Until last term,” said the father.
“I don’t understand you,” said the doctor.
“Surely, Dr Ponsford, you know by this time my son’s offence. I do not attempt to excuse it. He voluntarily took the only right step to take in his position by confessing.”