Honesty Pays in the End

We shall call him Mr Mookeen. He was a brilliant young man, an all- rounder and was popular. No wonder he chose to become a teacher and he did become one. He put himself to his tasks with heart and soul and no wonder he became popular very soon. He could be seen in the field, he would be called to address a students' audience, and he would be the foremost in organizing any school function. Thus he became the favorite of the Headmaster, and the envy of some of his seniors.

To mar his reputation something serious happened. It was the annual examination and the question papers were being set. Naturally, Mr Mookeen being the confidant of the Headmaster was helping the latter in collecting the question papers and sending them to the press.

But suddenly like a bolt from the blue, two days before the Mathematics examination, the question paper was out and it was in the hands of every boy. At first the news was a whisper and then it became public. There was commotion in the school and the matter reached the ears of the Headmaster. Indeed it was a shock to him and he could not rush into any conclusion. He was a mature person but the teachers began to view Mr Mookeen with suspicion and though they never blamed him openly they spread rumors that Mr Mookeen had a hand in the pilfering of the question papers.

The rumor reached the ears of the Headmaster. Formally he spoke to Mr Mookeen about the leakage of the question papers and secretly arranged for a fresh set of papers to be also printed through Mr Mookeen. So on the day of the examination the new set of papers was given to the surprise and shock of all.

Mr Mookeen had been worried when his colleagues looked upon him with suspicion and the boys too began talking about his alleged complicity in the leakage. The matter didn't stop there. It had reached the ears of the management and so the Secretary wanted the Headmaster to hold on enquiry into the conduct of Mr Mookeen in this affair. Poor Mr Mookeen had been