Part 30 (2/2)

”Well, Marjory Wainwright is engaged to marry Coleman.”

The minister was amazed to see the effect of this announcement upon the three students. He had expected the crows and cackles of rather absurd merriment with which unbearded youth often greets, such news. But there was no crow or cackle. One young man blushed scarlet and looked guiltily at the floor. With a great effort he muttered: ” Shes too good for him.” Another student had turned ghastly pate and was staring. It was Peter Tounley who relieved the minister's mind, for upon that young man's face was a broad jack-o-lantern grin, and the minister saw that, at any rate, he had not made a complete ma.s.sacre.

Peter Tounley said triumphantly: ”I knew it ! ”

The minister was anxious over the havoc he had wrought with the two other students, but slowly the colour abated in one face and grew in the other. To give them opportunity, the minister talked busily to Peter Tounley. ”And how did you know it, you young scamp ?”

Peter was jubilant. ” Oh, -I knew it! I knew it I I am very clever.”

The student who had blushed now addressed the minister in a slightly strained voice. ” Are you positive that it is true, Mr. Gordner?,”

” I had it on the best authority,” replied the minister gravely.

The student who had turned pale said: ” Oh, it's true, of course.”

” Well,” said crudely the one who had blushed, she's a great sight too good for Coleman or anybody like him. That's all I've got to say.”

” Oh, Coleman is a good fellow,” said Peter Tounley, reproachfully. ” You've no right to say that-exactly.

You don't know where you'd. be now if it were not for Coleman.”

The, response was, first, an angry gesture. ” Oh, don't keep everlasting rubbing that in. For heaven's sake, let up. - Supposing I don't. know where I'd be now if,it were not for Rufus Coleman? What of it?

For the rest of my life have I got to--”

The minister saw. that this was the embittered speech of a really defeated youth, so, to save scenes, he gently ejected the trio. ” There, there, now ! Run along home like good boys. I'll be busy until luncheon.

And I -dare say you won't find Coleman such a bad chap.”'

In the corridor, one of the students said offensively to Peter Tounley : ” Say, how in h.e.l.l did you find out all this so early ? ”

Peter's reply was amiable in tone. ” You are a d.a.m.ned bleating little kid and you made a holy show of yourself before Mr. Gordner. There's where you stand. Didn't you see that he turned us out because he didn't know but what you were going to blubber or something. - you are a sucking pig, and if you want to know how I find out things go ask the Delphic Oracle, you blind a.s.s.”

” You better look out or you may get a punch in the eye!,”

”You take one punch in the general direction of my eye, me son,” said -Peter cheerfully, ” and I'll distribute your remains, over this hotel in a way that will cause your, friends years of trouble to collect you.

Instead of antic.i.p.ating an attack upon my eye, you had much better be engaged in improving your mind, which is at present not a fit machine to cope with exciting situations. There's c.o.ke! h.e.l.lo, c.o.ke, hear the news? Well, Marjory Wainwright and Rufus Coleman , are engaged.. Straight ? Certainly ! Go ask the minister.”

c.o.ke did not take Peter's word. ”Is that so ? ” he asked the others.

” So the minister told us,” they answered, and then these two, who seemed so unhappy, watched c.o.ke's face to see if they could not find surprised misery there. But c.o.ke coolly said: ” Well, then, I suppose it's true.”

It soon became evident that the students did not care for each other's society. Peter Tounley was probably an exception, but the others seemed to long for quiet corners. They were distrusting each other, and, in a boyish way, they were even capable of maligant things. Their excuses for separation were badly made.

”I-I think I'll go for a walk.”

” I'm going up stairs to read.”

” Well, so long, old man.' ” So long.” There was no heart to it.

Peter Tounley went to Coleman's door, where he knocked with noisy hilarity. ” Come in I ” The correspondent apparently had just come from the street, for his hat was on his head and a light top-coat was on his back. He was searching hurriedly through some, papers. ” h.e.l.lo, you young devil What are you doing here ?

Peter's entrance was a somewhat elaborate comedy which Coleman watched in icy silence. Peter after a long,and impudent pantomime halted abruptly and fixing Coleman with his eye demanded: ”Well?”

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