eedn't lie, then."

Theodora faced him angrily.

"Shame, Hu! How do you know he lies? Is this the way you stand by your
friends?"

"He is no friend of mine."

"He was. He is my friend now, as much as ever."

Hubert shrugged his shoulders.

"Girls always are sentimental, and your head is full of yarns, Ted. You
are welcome to believe your Billy as much as you want to. Nobody else
does."

"I do." And Archie came striding into the hall. "I didn't mean to listen
to you; but I couldn't help hearing. I know something of men. I haven't
roughed it all this time for nothing, and I've seen all kinds. You will
never make me believe that Will Farrington has lied to get himself out
of a scrape. I'd sooner think that Allyn himself did it. Billy is a good
fellow, and I'll stand by him and see fair play. Here's my hand on it,
Ted."

There was a manly ring to Archie's words and a hearty grip of his hand,
and they sent Theodora to bed happier than she had been for days. It had
been impossible for her to throw off Billy's trouble. The whole
atmosphere of the house had seemed to be tainted by it. They all felt
the weight of uncertainty and gloom more or less; but for Theodora,
loyal to Billy as a girl could be, it amounted to a species of torture,
and she felt an Ishmael indeed, with every man's hand against her. She
never thought of swerving from her allegiance, however. Alone and
unaided, she would fight for Billy against the world. Still, it was very
good to find that Archie was upon her side.

"If I could only go away somewhere!" Billy said disconsolately, the next
night. "I thought your mother would stand by me, but she doesn't. It's
awful to be here in your house, when you are all down on me like this."

"I wish your mother would come home," Theodora responded.

"She won't."

"Not if she knew?"

"She couldn't very well. Besides, what good could she do?"

"Everything. She'd believe you."

"Of course."

"That's something, and she'd find out, somehow or other. Send for her,
Billy."

"No; she'd only worry. She'll be home before long."

"Not for two weeks. We shall all be dead by that time."

"I wish I could go to her."

"Why don't you?" she asked impulsively.

His smile was very sad, as he pointed to his crutches.

"I'm not up to a journey like that, Ted. I shouldn't make much of a
figure, travelling alone."

"I'll go, myself, and bring her home."

"You can't. You're too young to take such a journey alone