Part 7 (1/2)
”You're in bad! Jeff. What the deuce did you do to Sissy Thomas?”
”Gave him some good advice.”
Miller grinned. ”I'll bet you did. The little cad has been poisoning the wells against you. Look there.”
A young woman of their cla.s.s had pa.s.sed into the room. Her glance had fallen upon Farnum and been quickly averted.
”That's the first time Bessie Vroom ever cut you,” Sam continued angrily. ”Thomas is responsible. I've heard the story a dozen times already.”
”I only told him to mind his own business.”
”He can't. He's a born meddler. Now he's queered you with the whole place.”
”Can't help it. I wasn't going to let him get away with his impudence.
Why should I?”
Miller shrugged. ”Policy, my boy. Better take the advice of Cousin James and crawl into your sh.e.l.l till the storm has pelted past.”
Half an hour later Jeff met his cousin near the chapel and was taken to task.
”What's this I hear about your insulting Thomas?”
”You have it wrong. He insulted me,” Jeff corrected with a smile.
”Tommyrot! Why couldn't you treat him right?”
”Didn't like to throw him through the window on account of littering up the lawn with broken gla.s.s.”
James K.'s handsome square-cut face did not relax to a smile. ”You may think this a joke, but I don't. I've heard the Chancellor is going to call you on the carpet.”
”If he does he'll learn what I think.”
The upper cla.s.sman's anger boiled over. ”You might think of me a little.”
”Didn't know you were in this, J. K.”
”They know I'm your cousin. It's hurting my reputation.”
A faint ironic smile touched Jeff's face. ”No, James, I'm helping it.
Ever notice how blondes and brunettes chum together. Value of contrasts, you see. I'm a moral brunette. You're a s.h.i.+ning example of all a man should be. I simply emphasize your greatness.”
”That's not the way it works,” his cousin grumbled.
”That's just how it works. Best thing that could happen to you would be for me to get expelled. Shall I?”
Jeff offered his suggestion debonairly.
”Of course not.”
”It would give you just the touch of halo you need to finish the picture. Think of it: your n.o.ble head bowed in grief because of the unworthy relative you had labored so hard to save; the sympathy of the faculty, the respect of the fellows, the shy adoration of the co-eds.