little acquaintance with Van Shaw and the rich men's
sons' set at Burrton. But incidentally it had come out during his chance
meeting with Van Shaw that Walter's mother was a Darcy. The Darcys were
at the time immensely influential at Allworth, Van Shaw's home. The fact
that Walter was doing manual labor at Burrton did not affect his social
standing very seriously, as at the time, there had not come into Burrton
the social stigma against a student working his way through which had
already come into several state universities and technical schools in
this country. Besides, there was in all of Walter's make up that
indefinable stamp of high breeding and refinement, helped on by an
unusually attractive and handsome bearing, which made him look
distinguished in any group of young men. When he had put on his best
suit before the forty-seven dollar dresser and come out on the rare
occasions when he could spare time for some function, he was in many
ways the most elegant person in all the company.

Van Shaw had gradually taken a peculiar attitude toward Walter, partly
of recognition of his family and its antecedents and partly of
patronage, as if he took for granted Walter would welcome his
attentions. As a matter of fact, Walter resented Van Shaw's bearing
toward him, but in his weakness and his leaning toward the upper society
he envied, Walter endured what otherwise he would have been ashamed to
acknowledge. On two occasions it had been a relief to Walter to be of
help to Van Shaw in the electrical rooms. And on the particular occasion
we are now to describe Van Shaw had come into Walter's room one evening
to ask him about a point in connection with some original work which had
to do with the winding of a single phase alternator.

While they were talking over the problem and Walter was trying to make
Van Shaw see how important it was to take account of the position
induced in the several turns and the fact of the reaction of the
armature current, half a dozen other fellows dropped in. Walter was
quite popular and not infrequently eight or ten students might be found
in his rooms, as on this occasion.

Van Shaw was soon in possession of all Walter's knowledge on the
subject, for he was bright enough mentally, and he carelessly sauntered
over to the dresser and made a comment on it. Then he noticed a picture
of Helen Douglas, a new one which Helen had sent Walter within the last
few days.

"Sister, isn't she?" asked Van S