The King of the School, or, Who will Win? — page 73: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

SHE KING OF THE SCHOOL; OR, WHO WILL WIN P “Don’t see any harm in that,” the detective said, musingly. ‘Are there any shady places—cribs you would not like to see your son in?” ‘There is one—a billiard-room. I have watched the house for a long time, but they are too knowing for me.” " “Do any of the Lexicon pupils go there?” “A few; but the greater number of them prefer the ‘Six Bells,’ which is really a most respectable house.” Some other talk took place, and then the detective walked off to have a look at the billiard-rooms. ‘“‘ Very shady,” was his inward remark, as he looked round, and took a mental measurement of: the place and the players. Then, recognising an old ac- quaintance, he said, ‘‘Ha! Moss, how are you? are you doing here?” <*T am pretty well, thank you, Mr.— What sir. “Come over here, man; I want to have a talk with you.” Captain Robinson, for he was the person addressed, obeyed most humbly. “T thought I hadn’t seen you about the Strand lately,” Sharp continued. “Perhaps it’s a good thing for you. How are you getting your living ?” “ Why, billiards, of course, Mr. Sharp.” ‘Hal do you know any of the col- lege boys ?” ‘‘T have seen one or two of them here sometimes.” ‘‘ Their names ?” “One of them is named Bruton, another is De Vere, and another Fitz- roy. Those are all I know by name.” “ You lie,” the detective thought to himself. ‘ But Ill find you out.” “Tf you don’t like me to be here, Mr. Sharp, I'll move on to Westhampton.” “ Hum—no—in fact, you had better remain here, in this room, for an hour or two. Don’t speak a word about me, or I may chance to remember something you would not like to have brought up.” 67 nee eee The poor, trembling billiard-sharper promised obedience, but his play was spoilt. for the day. The sight of the detective had unnerved his arm : he missed nearly every stroke, and ren- dered himself the laughino-stock of the room. After a time he threw down his cue, and retired in disgust to the remotest corner of the room. In the meantime, Mr. Sharp had re- turned towards Lexicon College. He asked the doctor about the three youths who had been mentioned as fre- quenters of the billiard-room, and found that they bore very good characters. “‘ Moss is deceiving me,” he thought. “* However, I must let him have plenty of rope, and he will be safe to tie him- self up after a time.” * % * * * % By that evening’s post Frank Eger- ton received a letter from his mother. The widow lady had not much news to impart, but seemed to have written for the purpose of enclosing a five-pound note which Frank found in the envelope. She could not bear to think that her handsome boy, who had been accus- tomed to have plenty of money at his disposal, might, perhaps, be unable to keep up his position. “This is kind !” exclaimed Frank, to a little knot of friends, as he read the letter aloud. “ But I won’t keep it; T’ll send it back to her to-morrow.” He consigned it to his pocket-book, resolved to diminish his own expendi- ture rather than narrow his mother’s means, Among those who were near him when he received the letter was Crawley. By him the intelligence that I’rank’s mamma, had sent money was quickly conveyed to Baynes. “Wish him luck,” was the surly re- ply. ‘Come out into the field.” It so happened that Mr. Sharp, the detective, was strolling about the neigh- bourhood at the time. Seeing two boysapart from the others he took it into his head to watch them from beneath one of the great elm trees EO DOC (S(O) mn