’Yes; I heard a little from both of them.  Some of Eric’s bills had been opened accidentally by Giles.  Etta had told Giles that they were his, and he had called Eric to account.  And then it seems that Eric’s affairs were mixed up with another young man’s, Edgar Brown, a very wild young fellow, with whom Giles had forbidden Eric to associate.  They had been school-fellows, and Giles knew his father, Dr. Brown, and disliked him much; and it seems that Eric had promised to break with him, and had not kept his promise; and when Giles called him mean and dishonourable, Eric had forgotten himself, and struck Giles.

’"It is all over between us, I tell you, Gladys,” the poor boy kept saying.  “Giles says he shall take me away from Oxford, and I am to be put in an attorney’s office:  he declares I shall ruin him.  I cannot stop here to be tormented and bullied, and I will never go near old Armstrong:  why, the life would be worse than a convict’s.  I shall just go and enlist, and then there is a chance of getting rid of this miserable life.”  But I did not take much notice of this speech, for I knew Eric had no wish to enter the army; and certainly he would never do such a rash thing as enlist:  he always declared he would as soon be a shoeblack.  What does that look mean, Ursula?’ for I was glancing uneasily at the door.  Was it my fancy, or did I really hear the faint rustle of a dress on the tessellated pavement of the hall?  In another moment Gladys understood, and her voice dropped into a whisper.

’Come closer to me.  I mean to tell you all in spite of them.  I will be as quick as I can, or Giles will be here.

’I never saw Eric in such a state as he was that day.  He seemed nearly beside himself:  nothing I could say seemed to give him any comfort.  He shut himself up in his room and refused to eat.  He would not admit me for a long time, but when he at last opened the door I saw that his table was strewn with papers, and a letter directed to Giles lay beside them.

’We sat down and had a long talk.  He told me that he had got into more difficulties than even Giles suspected.  He had been led away by Edgar Brown.  I brought him all the money I had, which was little enough, and promised him my next quarter’s allowance.  I remember he spoke again of enlisting, and said that any life, however hard, would be preferable to the present one.  He could not stay here and be slandered by Etta and bullied by Giles.  He seemed very unhappy, and once he put down his head upon his arms and groaned.  It was just then that I heard a slight movement outside the door, and opened it just in time to see Leah gliding round the corner.  Ursula, she had heard every word that my poor boy had said, and it is Leah’s evidence that has helped to criminate him.’

‘Yes, I see.  But did you not put your brother on his guard?’

‘No,’ she returned sadly, ’I made the grievous mistake of keeping Leah’s eavesdropping to myself.  I thought Eric had enough to trouble him, without adding to his discomfort.  I would give much now to have done otherwise.