When the young people were gone, Mr. St. Clive told his wife of Ralph's adventures, and introduced Mr. Charlton in his proper character. And Mrs. St. Clive spoke so nicely and kindly, and promised to go and see Mrs. Charlton the very next day; and when she met Ralph she squeezed his hand, and gave him such a kiss as made him know that she was glad he had acted as he had done. And on the Sunday Mrs. St. Clive went for Mrs. Charlton, and brought her back with her. No one saw the meeting between the husband and wife save their own son; for Ralph had to take Irene right out of the way, lest she should wonder at their guest talking to the gardener, or going to his cottage. But afterwards, when Mrs. Charlton met the boy to whom she owed so much--oh, the look of gratitude which she gave him, and the way in which she spoke! It made Ralph very happy, but it made him very uncomfortable at the same time. And then, the day past and morning come, it was once more back to school; and some of the boys stared when they saw Ralph and Charlton appear arm-in-arm, for their quarrel had been noticed and discussed. But when Tom Warren saw them, he came running up, a real glad smile on his face. "Hallo, you two!" he said, as he met them. "I am awfully glad to see this. It's the right thing; and I do hope that you won't quarrel again." "I shall never quarrel with Rexworth any more," said Charlton, in low tones. "You have no need to fear that, Warren. I owe him more than I can ever repay, though I cannot tell you why!" "Perhaps I can tell you why," replied Warren, with a laugh. "For it is all over the place. Elgert set it going." "Set what going?" demanded the two chums, in one voice; and the monitor went on-- "Oh, he says that--I don't want to pain you, Charlton, but it is better to hear it from a friend than from an enemy"--and Warren turned, half apologetically to Charlton as he said this--"he says that your father was in Stow Wood, and that the police were looking for him----" "And that Lord Elgert lent them his pony and trap to hunt him down," put in Charlton bitterly. "No, he didn't say that. Did he, though? The mean sneak! Well, he says that your father was there, and that the police saw Ralph, here, go into the wood. Some one must have warned your father, for he managed to get out, and got off in the pony and trap they had left. They didn't say it was Lord Elgert's, though. Elgert at once jumped at it that it was you, Ralph, did the warning, because you are Charlton's chum. He says it is additional proof that you two had that note, and he is making a jolly lot about it; though half the fellows, and more than half, are strong on your side, and say that if it is true, they would have done the same thing. Elgert says that the police inspector is ready to knock your head off for the way in which you cheated him."