In the ridicule and disgust which the incident produced the prestige of the rich man’s son was lost forever. No one pitied him. It was all his own fault, and even his quondam friends deserted him, while his appearance would have been the signal for a universal grin.
Strange to say, he had not been seen at the Hall since he had made that proposition to Archer and Shriver, and now a couple of days had passed and no sign of him.
He did not respond to his name either in
the assembly or recitation-rooms, and Doctor Bostwick began to think something was wrong.
He summoned Lewis Archer one day in passing and asked him if he could call at the Mackerly residence and obtain some news of the missing boy.
“I am afraid that he is ill,” said the good principal, “or something unusual has happened to him. I have never known him to have been absent for so long a time without sending in an excuse or asking for leave.”
Archer called that very afternoon at the house on the hill, and, after repeated ringings, Mrs. Weldon, Grant’s aunt, came to the door.
“What’s become of Grant?” asked Archer. “Doctor Bostwick sent me up to inquire about his absence. He’s been away from the Hall for three days.”
“Yes, I know he has,” answered Mrs. Weldon; “but please tell Doctor Bostwick I don’t know the reason for his absence, except that one day he came home and said he was too ill to stay at school, and the day before yesterday he borrowed some money from me and went to Buffalo, where his uncle lives. I hope Doctor Bostwick will be patient with him. His father is away, too, and won’t return till over a week.”
“Well,” cogitated Lewis, as he carried this information to the doctor, “that’s very satisfactory, I must say. I wonder what Doctor Bostwick will think?”