News from Roland



505



hand on Arthur's shoulder. "Why could you not
speak openly to my face, and tell me so"
  " Because     I am ashamed, sir, now to confess
why.   We were all at cross-purposes together, it
seems. "
  " He suspected that it was all in the family, Mr.
Galloway," cried Hamish, in his gay good-humour.
" It appears that he laid the charge of that little affair
to me."
  " Nonsense !" said Mr. Galloway.
  "WVe both did," exclaimed Constance, coming for-
ward with tears in her eyes. " Do you think that
the mere fact of suspicion being cast upon him, publicly
though it was made, could have rendered us as
cowardly miserable as it did Hamish, how shall we
atone to you"
  "The question is, how shall I atone to you, my
old friend, for the wrong done your son" exclaimed
Mr. Galloway, seizing Mr. Channing's hand. " Arthur,
you and I shall have accounts to make up together."
  " If reparation for unjust suspicion is to be the
order of the day, I think I ought to have some of
it," said laughing Hamish, with a glance at 1Ir.
Huntlev.
  A sudden thought seemed to strike Mr. Channing.
  Huntley," he impulsively cried, " was this the cause
of displeasure that you hinted had been given you by
Hamish"
  " That, and nothing else," was Mr. Huntley's
answer. " I suppose -I must take him into favour
again-' make reparation,' as he says."
  A saucy smile crossed the lips of Hamish. It as
good as said, " I know who will, if you don't." But
Mr. Galloway was interrupting.
  " The most extraordinary thing of the whole is,"
he observed, with unwonted emphasis, " that we never
suspected Roland Yorke, knowing him as we did
know him. It will be a caution to me as long as I
live, never to go again by appearances. Careless,
thoughtless, impulsive, conscienceless Roland Yorke!
Of course! Who else would have been likely to help
themselves to it I wonder what scales were before
our eyes !'"