ity, but she had not shown the scorn that Frank felt he
fully deserved. However, she had exacted a pledge, which he had freely
given, and, returning to the academy, he felt that he was himself once
more. His step was elastic, his heart was light, and he whistled a
lively strain.

That evening he had a long talk with Bart.

"Come, Bartley," urged Frank, "drop this card-playing, and give
attention to your studies."

Bart was in a bad mood, as he had been much of the time lately, and he
laughed harshly.

"You're a fine fellow to give that sort of advice when you cannot keep
away from the game yourself!" he said.

"But I can keep away," came quietly and decidedly from Frank's lips.

"Prove it."

"I will. I am not going to play any more. I have been a fool, and I
am ashamed of it."

"That is easy enough to say, but---- Well, we will see what we will
see."

"You doubt my ability to keep away from the game?"

"Haven't I reason to do so?"

"You surely have. But look here, Bart; you know as well as I the kind
of fellows we are running with when we play cards with that gang.
Neither you nor I care to call Gage and Snell our particular friends."

"That's right."

"And Harris is a kind of uncertain fellow--neither one thing nor
another."

"Sure."

"Sam Winslow hasn't enough stamina to resist temptation of any sort."

"Go on."

"Harvey Dare is a pretty decent chap, but he doesn't care a rap what
people think or say of him."

"Well?"

"Hans Dunnerwust has been inveigled into the game, and I am going to do
my best to make him break away."

Bart drew a deep breath.

"Go ahead, Frank," he said, "and I hope you may succeed in your
missionary work. You didn't name my failings, but I have them, or they
have me, for I can't break away from them."

"You can if you will try. Make a desperate effort, Bart. Think how
differently you are situated than I, who was born with a passion for
gambling."

Bart rose impatiently.

"Drop it, old man," he growled. "I've lost too much to knock off now.
I am going to play to-night."

"To-night? Why, it is Saturday night!"

"Yes."

"If you begin playing, you will not stop before Sunday comes in."

"Perhaps not."

"You don't mean to say that you are going to play on Sunday?"

"The better the day, the better the deed," mocked Bart.

Frank said no more, but he formed a firm resolution. He would find a
way to save his roommate and break up the card game. Ga