Page:Sorrell and Son - Deeping - 1926.djvu/176

 "Poor old Peter's mater is not too well off."

He confided to his father the tragic story of a pair of torn trousers, the only decent pair of trousers that Summervell possessed that term.

"I passed him on one of my pairs, pater."

"All right. I'll write and tell Thompson's to send you another pair."

Christopher had every right to think of his father as the most understanding and generous of men.

Christopher had been a year and a half at St. Benedict's when his father received a letter from Mr. Phelps the games master. The envelope was marked "Confidential."

Mr. Lowndes' letter arrived a day later. It was ingenious and patronizing. It flowed from a higher level to what must be presumed to be a lower one.

Sorrell wrote off at once both to Christopher and to Mr. Lowndes. Nor was there any anger in his letter to the "Head." He was wondering how deeply Christopher had been hurt, and he felt that the fault was his.