papers, but his confidence
in the result was now clouded by a dread of the second prize - which indeed fell
to him, the first being taken by a student of no account save in this very
special subject. Keen was his mortification; he growled, muttered, shrugged his
shoulders nervously.
    »If I had foreseen this, you'd never have caught me here,« was his reply,
when Sidwell whispered consolation.
    There still remained a chance for him, signalled by the familiar form of
Professor Gale. Geology had been a lifelong study with Martin Warricombe, and
his son pursued it with hereditary aptitude. Sidwell and her mother exchanged a
look of courageous hope; each felt convinced that the genial Professor could not
so far disregard private feeling as to place Buckland anywhere but at the head
of the class.
    »The results of the examination are fairly good; I'm afraid I can't say more
than that,« thus rang out Mr. Gale's hearty voice. »As for the first two names
on my list, I haven't felt justified in placing either before the other. I have
bracketed them, and there will be two prizes. The names are - Godwin Peak and
Buckland Martin Warricombe.«
    »He might have mentioned Buckland first,« murmured Mrs. Warricombe,
resentfully.
    »He of course gave them out in alphabetical order,« answered her husband.
    »Still, it isn't right that Buckland should come second.«
    »That's absurd,« was the good-natured reply.
    The lady of course remained unconvinced, and for years she nourished a pique
against Professor Gale, not so much owing to his having bracketed her son as
because the letter P has alphabetical precedence of W.
    In what remained of the proceedings the Warricombes had no personal
interest. For a special reason, however, their attention was excited by the
rising of Professor Walsh, who represented the science of Physics. Early in the
present year had been published a speculative treatise which, owing to its
supposed incompatibility with Christian dogmas, provoked much controversy and
was largely discussed in all educated circles. The work was anonymous, but a
rumour which gained general currency attributed it to Professor Walsh. In the
year 1874 an imputation of religious heresy was not lightly to be incurred by a
Professor - even Professor of Physics - at an English college. There were many
people in Kingsmill who considered that Mr. Walsh's delay in repudiating so
grave a charge rendered very doubtful the propriety of his retaining the chair
at Whitelaw. Significant was the dispersed applause which followed