it was
plain to be seen that he was under a great stress of feeling in which
was mingled a real, deep, strong anger, a part of which was directed
against the Burrton school and its management.

"And so," Paul said as he finished his statement, "I don't care to keep
my son in an institution where the standards are so low that a gambling
habit like betting is not even discouraged by the authorities."

"How do you know it is not discouraged?"

"My boy tells me that during his whole stay here he has not heard a word
of disapproval or protest against this prevalent habit."

The president turned to a bookcase near by and took down a small volume
entitled "Chapel Talks." He opened it at a certain page and without a
word pointed to a passage.

Paul read it. "There is a prevalent idea in the school that in order to
be loyal to Burrton the students must all stand together, no matter what
is done by the student body. That idea is false and in the end it is
harmful to the best interests of the school.

"Take for example the custom of betting on the athletics and especially
on the annual boat race. This is a custom which should be discouraged by
every lover of the school. Betting is gambling; it is an attempt to get
something for nothing. That attempt is destructive to morals and
dangerous to character. The fact that many of the alumni who come to see
the games bet on them is no reason why the undergraduates should bet on
the games. I look to every student to discourage this practice and use
his influence to help abolish a harmful and dangerous habit."

Paul looked up from the reading and eyed the president with a new
feeling of respect.

"I beg pardon for judging you, sir, without knowing all the facts. But
this volume was published over a year ago. My boy never heard these
chapel talks. I take it that there has been nothing said about betting
here for several months."

"No, perhaps not," replied the president with some hesitation. "But the
students generally know my views on the matter. That knowledge, however,
does not stop the betting."

"Why can't you put an end to it by forbidding it altogether?"

In reply to Paul's question, President Davis smiled.

"How much power do you think the president of an American college has,
Mr. Douglas?"

"Why, I suppose he has enough to stop things that are absolutely wrong."

"Pardon me, Mr. Douglas, but he has no such power. He may try to stop
them, but his power to do so may