so," said Mr. Mackintosh, drawing the _exeat_ book--resembling the
butt of a check-book--towards him. "And you are going down to-morrow?"

"Yes," said Frank.

"Going home?" murmured the Dean, inscribing Frank's name in his neat
little handwriting.

"No," said Frank.

"Not?... To London, perhaps?"

"Well, not exactly," said Frank; "at least, not just yet."

Mr. Mackintosh blotted the book carefully, and extracted the _exeat_.
He pushed it gently towards Frank.

"About that auction!" he said, smiling indulgently; "I did want to have
a word with you about that. It was very unusual; and I wondered.... But
I am happy to think that there was no disturbance.... But can you tell
me exactly why you chose that form of ... of ..."

"I wanted to make as much money as ever I could," said Frank.

"Indeed!... Yes.... And ... and you were successful?"

"I cleared all my debts, anyhow," said Frank serenely. "I thought that
very important."

Mr. Mackintosh smiled again. Certainly this young man was very well
behaved and deferential.

"Well, that's satisfactory. And you are going to read at the Bar now? If
you will let me say so, Mr. Guiseley, even at this late hour, I must say
that I think that a Third Class might have been bettered. But no doubt
your tutor has said all that?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Well, then, a little more application and energy now may perhaps make
up for lost time. I suppose you will go to the Temple in October?"

Frank looked at him pensively a moment.

"No, Mr. Mackintosh," he said suddenly; "I'm going on the roads. I mean
it, quite seriously. My father's disowned me. I'm starting out to-morrow
to make my own living."

There was dead silence for an instant. The Dean's face was stricken, as
though by horror. Yet Frank saw he had not in the least taken it in.

"Yes; that's really so," he said. "Please don't argue with me about it.
I'm perfectly determined."

"Your father ... Lord Talgarth ... the roads ... your own living ... the
college authorities ... responsibility!"

Words of this sort burst from Mr. Mackintosh's mouth.

"Yes ... it's because I've become a Catholic! I expect you've heard
that, sir."

Mr. Mackintosh threw himself back (if so fierce a word may be used of so
mild a manner)--threw himself back in his chair.

"Mr. Guiseley, kindly tell me all about it. I had not heard one
word--not one word."

* * * * *

Frank made a great effort, and tol