Page:Hornung - Fathers of Men.djvu/277

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INTERLUDE IN A STUDY
267

in the Eleven. And yet Sandham had only to vanish to the Sanatorium, for Evan to come round to Jan's study directly after breakfast, this second morning of the Old Boys' Match!

Chips retired with speaking spectacles. They flashed out plainly that Evan had no shame; but the funny thing was that Evan did for once look very much ashamed of himself, as he shut the door with a mumbled apology, and so turned awkwardly to Jan. He had reddened characteristically, and his words ran together in a laboured undertone that betrayed both effort and precaution.

"I say, Jan, do you think there's any chance of our getting them out again this morning?"

"This morning!" Jan grinned. "Why, they've got to get us out first, Evan. And they may make us follow on."

"You'll save that, won't you?"

"I hope so, but you never know. We want other five runs. Suppose we get them, it'd be a job to run through a side like that by tea-time, let alone lunch."

"You did it two years ago."

"Well, that's not now. But what's the hurry, Evan, if we can save the match?"

"Oh, nothing much; only—I'm afraid I shan't be able to field after lunch."

Evan had floundered to his point over some stiff impediment. He was not even looking at Jan, who jumped out of his chair with one glance at Evan.

"I knew it!"

"What did you know?"

"You're not fit. You weren't yesterday, but now it's as plain as a pikestaff. You're in for these infernal measles!"

It was a fair deduction from a face so flushed and