t before
Father, and came back after he had returned, but he wouldn't take my
word for it. You know what he is when he's angry. You simply can't argue
with him! Then you made things ever so much worse by blurting out how
I'd taken you to tea at the cafe, and bought you a bag. Father glared as
if it proved I'd been spending stolen money!"

"You were rather flush of cash that day," commented Ingred.

"Yes, the fact is I'd been writing a short story, and it had been
accepted by a newspaper. It's a poor enough thing, and I didn't sign my
own name to it. I didn't want to tell them at home I was trying to write
until I could do something better. Anyhow, I'd just cashed the check,
and thought I'd give you a treat for once. I knew it was no use to
explain to Father. Mother has stuck up for me, but I can tell you I've
been having a time of it this last fortnight."

"But, Egbert," said Ingred, frankly puzzled, "couldn't you have got Miss
Bertrand to tell Dad where you were? It would have been better after all
than letting him think you took the money."

Egbert's face darkened again tragically.

"I wouldn't appeal to Miss Bertrand to clear my character if it were a
charge of murder. I'd be hanged first! I met her the very day after we
were in the Abbey together--she was walking with some idiot of an
airman--and she stared straight in my face and cut me. I've done with
girls! They're all of them alike!" and the gloomy young misanthrope
picked up the spanner and began energetically tightening nuts on the
motorcycle.

Ingred shook a sympathetic head. She had not much experience in love
affairs, but she fancied that this one did not go very deep.

"You'll get over it," she consoled. "And she wasn't a very nice girl,
anyway. Queenie always loathed her. If Dad's had his nap, I'll go and
tell him how I saw you in the Abbey. I know it was a Tuesday, because
I'd had my music lesson, and was taking the books that Dr. Linton left
behind him."

"Good! That's what's called proving an alibi. I don't know who walked
off with those notes, but as long as Dad's satisfied I had nothing to do
with it, that's all I care. He can thrash it out with the clerks now, or
leave it alone."

Mr. Saxon questioned Ingred closely, but accepted her account of the
matter, which set his doubts at rest concerning his son. The relief in
the family circle was enormous. Mother's face was beaming, and it seemed
as if the storm-clouds had blown away, and the su