The Major [107]
and has to keep up a mission through the term. He is a good man."
"Yes, he is good, a little too good," said Ethel, making a little face. "Isn't it splendid about Larry Gwynne getting the Proficiency, and the first in Engineering? Now he is what I call a sport. Of course he doesn't go in for games much, but he's into everything, the Lit., the Dramatic Society, and Scuddy says he helped him tremendously with the Senior class in the Y. M. C. A. work."
"Yes," said Jane, "and the Register told Papa that the University had never graduated such a brilliant student. And Ramsay Dunn told me that he just ran the Athletic Association and was really responsible for the winning of the track team."
"What a pity about Ramsay Dunn," said Ethel. "He just managed to scrape through. Do you know, the boys say he kept himself up mostly on whiskey-and-sodas through the exams. He must be awfully clever, and he is so good-looking."
"Poor Ramsay," said Jane, "he has not had a very good chance. I mean, he has too much money. He is coming to dinner to-night, Ethel, and Frank Smart, too."
"Oh, Frank Smart! They say he is doing awfully well. Father says he is one of the coming men in his profession. He is a great friend of yours, isn't he, Jane?" said Ethel, with a meaning smile.
"We have known him a long time," said Jane, ignoring the smile. "We think a great deal of him."
"When have you seen Larry?" enquired Ethel. "He comes here a lot, doesn't he?"
"Yes. He says this is his Winnipeg home. I haven't seen him all to-day."
"You don't mean to tell me!" exclaimed Ethel.
"I mean I haven't seen him to congratulate him on his medal. His mother will be so glad."
"You know his people, don't you? Tell me about them. You see, I may as well confess to you that I have a fearful crush on Larry."
"I know," said Jane sympathetically.
"But," continued Ethel, "he is awfully difficult. His people are ranching, aren't they? And poor, I understand."
"Yes, they are ranching," said Jane, "and Larry has had quite a hard time getting through. I had a lovely visit last fall with them."
"Oh, tell me about it!" exclaimed Ethel. "I heard a little, you know, from Larry."
For half an hour Jane dilated on her western visit to the Lakeside Farm.
"Oh, you lucky girl!" cried Ethel. "What a chance you had! To think of it! Three weeks, lonely rides, moonlight, and not a soul to butt in! Oh, Jane! I only wish I had had such a chance! Did nothing happen, Jane? Oh, come on now, you are too awfully oysteresque. Didn't he come across at all?"
Jane's face glowed a dull red, but she made no pretence of failing to understand Ethel's meaning. "Oh, there is no nonsense of that kind with Larry," she said. "We are just good friends."
"Good friends!" exclaimed Ethel indignantly. "That's just where he is so awfully maddening. I can't understand him. He has lots of red blood, and he is a sport, too. But somehow he never knows a girl from her brother. He treats me just the way he treats Bruce and Leslie. I often wonder what he would do if I kissed him. I've tried squeezing his hand."
"Have you?" said Jane, with a delighted laugh. "What did he do?"
"Why, he never knew it. I could have killed him," said Ethel in disgust.
"He is going away to Chicago," said Jane abruptly, "to your friends, the Wakehams. Mr. Wakeham is in mines, as you know. Larry is to get two thousand dollars to begin with. It is a good position, and I am glad for him. Oh, there I see Mr. MacLean and Frank Smart coming in."
When the party had settled down they discussed the Class lists and prize winners till Dr. Brown appeared.
"Shall we have dinner soon, Jane?" he said as she welcomed him. "I wish to get through with my work early so as to take in the big political meeting this evening. Mr. Allen is to speak and there is sure to be a crowd."
"I shall have it served at once, Papa. Larry is coming, but we won't wait for him."
They were half through dinner before Larry appeared. He came in looking worn, pale and
"Yes, he is good, a little too good," said Ethel, making a little face. "Isn't it splendid about Larry Gwynne getting the Proficiency, and the first in Engineering? Now he is what I call a sport. Of course he doesn't go in for games much, but he's into everything, the Lit., the Dramatic Society, and Scuddy says he helped him tremendously with the Senior class in the Y. M. C. A. work."
"Yes," said Jane, "and the Register told Papa that the University had never graduated such a brilliant student. And Ramsay Dunn told me that he just ran the Athletic Association and was really responsible for the winning of the track team."
"What a pity about Ramsay Dunn," said Ethel. "He just managed to scrape through. Do you know, the boys say he kept himself up mostly on whiskey-and-sodas through the exams. He must be awfully clever, and he is so good-looking."
"Poor Ramsay," said Jane, "he has not had a very good chance. I mean, he has too much money. He is coming to dinner to-night, Ethel, and Frank Smart, too."
"Oh, Frank Smart! They say he is doing awfully well. Father says he is one of the coming men in his profession. He is a great friend of yours, isn't he, Jane?" said Ethel, with a meaning smile.
"We have known him a long time," said Jane, ignoring the smile. "We think a great deal of him."
"When have you seen Larry?" enquired Ethel. "He comes here a lot, doesn't he?"
"Yes. He says this is his Winnipeg home. I haven't seen him all to-day."
"You don't mean to tell me!" exclaimed Ethel.
"I mean I haven't seen him to congratulate him on his medal. His mother will be so glad."
"You know his people, don't you? Tell me about them. You see, I may as well confess to you that I have a fearful crush on Larry."
"I know," said Jane sympathetically.
"But," continued Ethel, "he is awfully difficult. His people are ranching, aren't they? And poor, I understand."
"Yes, they are ranching," said Jane, "and Larry has had quite a hard time getting through. I had a lovely visit last fall with them."
"Oh, tell me about it!" exclaimed Ethel. "I heard a little, you know, from Larry."
For half an hour Jane dilated on her western visit to the Lakeside Farm.
"Oh, you lucky girl!" cried Ethel. "What a chance you had! To think of it! Three weeks, lonely rides, moonlight, and not a soul to butt in! Oh, Jane! I only wish I had had such a chance! Did nothing happen, Jane? Oh, come on now, you are too awfully oysteresque. Didn't he come across at all?"
Jane's face glowed a dull red, but she made no pretence of failing to understand Ethel's meaning. "Oh, there is no nonsense of that kind with Larry," she said. "We are just good friends."
"Good friends!" exclaimed Ethel indignantly. "That's just where he is so awfully maddening. I can't understand him. He has lots of red blood, and he is a sport, too. But somehow he never knows a girl from her brother. He treats me just the way he treats Bruce and Leslie. I often wonder what he would do if I kissed him. I've tried squeezing his hand."
"Have you?" said Jane, with a delighted laugh. "What did he do?"
"Why, he never knew it. I could have killed him," said Ethel in disgust.
"He is going away to Chicago," said Jane abruptly, "to your friends, the Wakehams. Mr. Wakeham is in mines, as you know. Larry is to get two thousand dollars to begin with. It is a good position, and I am glad for him. Oh, there I see Mr. MacLean and Frank Smart coming in."
When the party had settled down they discussed the Class lists and prize winners till Dr. Brown appeared.
"Shall we have dinner soon, Jane?" he said as she welcomed him. "I wish to get through with my work early so as to take in the big political meeting this evening. Mr. Allen is to speak and there is sure to be a crowd."
"I shall have it served at once, Papa. Larry is coming, but we won't wait for him."
They were half through dinner before Larry appeared. He came in looking worn, pale and