me alone
with my misery, and shutting out my one hope of recovering my only
friend.

I returned miserable to the office--miserable and savage. Though I knew
I had only myself to blame for what had happened, I was fain to vent my
anger on the cowardly set who had used my secret against my friend. But
when I tried to speak the words would not come. I locked up my desk
dejectedly, and without a word to any one, and heedless of the looks and
titters that followed me, walked from the place.

Half way down the street I became aware of a footstep following
hurriedly, as if to overtake me. Could it be Jack? Was there yet a
chance? No, it was Hawkesbury.

"Oh, Batchelor," he said, "I am so sorry. It's most unfortunate the way
it came out, isn't it?"

I made no answer, and drew my arm out of his.

"Harris is such a short-tempered fellow," he went on, not noticing my
manner, "but I never thought he would go as far as he did. I assure
you, Batchelor, when I heard it, I felt quite as sorry as you did."

"I should like to know who told Harris about it," I said. "I didn't."

"Didn't you? Wasn't he there that evening you told all the rest of us?
To be sure he wasn't. He must have heard the others speaking about it."

"They all promised--that is, I begged them all--not to tell any one," I
said, with a groan.

"Yes, I remember your asking me that evening. It's a great shame if the
fellows have told Harris. But he may have heard some other way."

"How could he?" said I.

"Well, I suppose it was all in the papers at the time," said Hawkesbury.

"Harris would hardly be in the habit of reading newspapers thirteen or
fourteen years old," I said, bitterly.

"Was it so long ago as that?" said Hawkesbury. "No, it hardly does seem
likely. Somebody must have told him."

"It was a blackguard thing of him to do," I said, "and I'll take good
care never to speak to him again."

"Well, you'd be quite justified in cutting him dead," replied
Hawkesbury. "I'd do the same if he'd done as much to a friend of mine."

I did not reply to this. After all, had Harris been much more to blame
than I had been in the first instance?

"Well," said Hawkesbury, "I hope it will soon blow over. One never
likes unpleasant things like this coming up. You must tell Smith how
angry I am with Harris."

"I don't suppose Smith will ever speak to me again," I said.

"Really? Oh, I hope it's not so bad as that. After all, you know,"
sa