on the head in young Wharton's defence,--of
which he was determined to make good use, though he had thought it
expedient to say nothing about the blow in his letter. Surely it
would all help. Surely the paternal mind would be softened towards
him when the father should be made to understand how great had been
his service to the son. That Everett would make little of what had
been done for him he did not in the least fear. Everett Wharton was
sometimes silly but was never ungenerous.

In spite of his night's work Lopez was in Manchester Square before
nine on the following morning, and on the side of his brow he bore
a great patch of black plaster. "My head is very thick," he said
laughing, when Everett asked after his wound. "But it would have gone
badly with me if the ruffian had struck an inch lower. I suppose my
hat saved me, though I remember very little. Yes, old fellow, I have
written to your father, and I think he will come up. It was better
that it should be so."

"There is nothing the matter with me," said Everett.

"One didn't quite know last night whether there was or no. At any
rate his coming won't hurt you. It's always well to have your banker
near you, when your funds are low."

Then after a pause Everett made his apology,--"I know I made a great
ass of myself last night."

"Don't think about it."

"I used a word I shouldn't have used, and I beg your pardon."

"Not another word, Everett. Between you and me things can't go wrong.
We love each other too well."

CHAPTER XXIII

Surrender

The letter given in the previous chapter was received at Wharton
Hall late in the evening of the day on which it was written, and was
discussed among all the Whartons that night. Of course there was no
doubt as to the father's going up to town on the morrow. The letter
was just such a letter as would surely make a man run to his son's
bedside. Had the son written himself it would have been different;
but the fact that the letter had come from another man seemed to be
evidence that the poor sufferer could not write. Perhaps the urgency
with which Lopez had sent off his dispatch, getting his account of
the fray ready for the very early day mail, though the fray had not
taken place till midnight, did not impress them sufficiently when
they accepted this as evidence of Everett's dangerous condition. At
this conference at Wharton very little was said about Lopez, but
there was a general feeling that he had b