Showing him the fragments of paper, he
asked, "Have you ever seen these before?"
"Yes. On Saturday, when the boys left the schoolroom, I stayed behind to
think a little over what had occurred, feeling convinced that Williams
was _not_ guilty, spite of appearances. I was standing by the empty
fire-place, when these bits of paper caught my eye. I picked them up,
and, after a great deal of trouble, fitted them together. They are
covered apparently with failures in an attempt at forgery, viz., first,
'Gordon is a sur--' and then a stop, as though the writer were
dissatisfied, and several of the words written over again for practice,
and then a number of r's made in the way that Williams makes them."
"There you may stop," said Barker, stamping fiercely; "I did it all."
A perfect yell of scorn and execration followed this announcement.
"What! _you_ did it, and caused all this misery, you ineffable
blackguard!" shouted Upton, grasping him with one hand, while he struck
him with the other.
"Stop!" said Avonley; "just see that he doesn't escape, while we decide
on his punishment.
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