Page:An Old Fashioned Girl.djvu/311

Rh she seemed almost relieved, and after a minute's silence, said, soberly,—

"That's bad, very bad; but it might have been worse."

"It is worse," and Tom walked away again with a despairing sort of groan.

"Don't knock the chairs about, but come and sit down, and tell me quietly."

"Can't do it."

"Well, go on then. Are you truly expelled? Can't it be made up? What did you do?"

"It's a true bill this time. I just had a row with the Chapel watchman, and knocked him down. If it was a first offence, I might have got off; but you see I've had no end of narrow escapes, and this was my last chance; I've lost it, and now there'll be the dickens to pay. I knew it was all up with me, so I didn't wait to be turned out, but just took myself off."

"What will your father say?"

"It will come hard on the governor, but the worst of it is—" there Tom stopped, and stood a minute in the middle of the room with his head down, as if he didn't find it easy to tell even kind little Polly. Then out came the truth all in a breath, just as he used to bolt out his boyish misdemeanors, and then back up against the wall ready to take the consequences.

"I owe an awful lot of money that the governor don't know about."

"Oh, Tom, how could you?"

"I've been an extravagant rascal, I know it, and I'm thundering sory, but that don't help a fellow.