It must be confessed that Merriwell was puzzled and felt himself in a peculiar position. If Lynch spoke the truth, Dick had no desire to punish him, as he now seemed genuinely penitent. Furthermore, his actions had been those of a deranged man.
“Hadn’t you better take a vacation, Lynch?” suggested Merriwell. “Don’t you think you need it?”
“I suppose you mean that I must leave college for good? You are going to force me out?”
“No. I mean exactly what I said—I think it will be beneficial to you if you take a vacation without waiting for the term to close. I have not accepted your story as true, and yet I hope it is true. I’ve always fancied you to be a person with an ordinary amount of common sense. No person with ordinary intelligence would have thought of shooting an enemy, but if your mind was in a condition that led you to try such a thing, it’s high time that you gave up studying and sought rest and quiet in the country. If you don’t, you’re liable to break down entirely and go to pieces beyond cure.”
“I presume you’re afraid I’ll get another daffy streak, and repeat the attempt on your life. I don’t blame you, Merriwell. Still, I’m not going to leave college now. I’m all right at the present moment, and I believe I’ll remain so. You know I’ve been dreadfully worried over my bills here, for I ran deeply in debt. I didn’t know what would happen to me. I thought I was swamped. As a last resort, I wrote a letter to my mother, making a full confession. This morning I received her answer. She sent me a check. It was large enough to enable me to pay all my debts and have something left over. For the first time in weeks I’m straightened out and ready to go ahead without worry. The only thing that will prevent me is this business to-day. If you proceed against me, my college career is ended. I have been a rather nasty enemy toward you, Merriwell. I know that. I’ve hated you bitterly, and I’ve tried my best to injure you. It was wrong. Now I throw myself on your mercy. Do whatever you like.”
It is a simple matter to imagine what would have happened to Lynch had he, under similar circumstances, thrown himself on the mercies of almost any other boy whom he had hated and plotted against as he had against Dick.