Page:Arthur Stringer-The Loom of Destiny.djvu/117

The Essentials of Aristocracy made the usual mad rush for their rooms, the new boy and the enemy came face to face in the hall. The new boy was bunted vigorously against the wall as his rival went past. The new boy expected it. A scream of delight broke from the groups of hurrying boys and girls as they crowded past, or stopped a moment to watch him get up and brush the dust from his carefully patched clothes.

For one weak moment, at noon, the new boy was tempted to slip out by the girl's door, and so escape. That would mean putting off the fight for a day at least.

One of the girls, as she hurried out, saw he was a new boy and made a face at him. The malevolence of that grimace turned him precipitately back. With quaking knees, and a pitiful mockery of a whistle, he walked out of the boys' door. The fight had to be that day!

It was all as he expected. He, of course, was waiting for him. With a choking sickliness at his throat he made steadily for the gate. Before he was half way there a jagged piece of cinder struck him on the cheek with 105