Alan to
go in. Michael wished very earnestly he could score a brilliant century
so that Stella hearing the applause could realize how much there was in
him to admire. Yet ruefully he admitted to himself the improbability of
Stella realizing anything at all about the importance of cricket.
However, he had scarcely done with his wishing, when he saw Alan coming
gloomily back from the wicket, clean bowled by the very first ball he
had received.

"Of course, you know, he isn't played for his batting," he hastened to
explain to Stella.

She, however, was too deeply engaged in discussing Vienna with Maurice
to pay much attention, even when Alan sat down despondently beside them,
unbuckling his pads. It was just as Michael had feared, fond though he
was of Maurice.

The last Varsity player was soon out, and Wedderburn proposed an early
tea in his rooms to be followed by the river. Turning into Holywell,
they met Guy Hazlewood, who said without waiting to be introduced to
Mrs. Ross and Stella:

"My dear people, I fall upon your necks. Suggest something for me to do
that for one day and one night will let me entirely forget Schools. We
can't bear our digs any longer."

"Why don't you give a party there on Monday night," suggested Wedderburn
deeply.

"Let me introduce you to Mrs'sss ... my sissss ... Mr. H'wood," mumbled
Michael in explanation of Wedderburn's proposal.

"What a charming idea," drawled Guy. "But isn't it rather a shame to ask
Miss Fane to play? Anyway, I daren't."

"Oh, no," said Stella. "I should rather like to play in Oxford."

So after a kaleidoscope of racing and a Sunday picnic on the upper
river, when everybody ate as chickens drink with a pensive upward glance
at the trend of the clouds, occurred Guy Hazlewood's party in Holywell,
which might more truly have been called Wedderburn's party, since he at
once assumed all responsibility for it.

The digs were much more crowded than anybody had expected, chiefly on
account of the Balliol men invited.

"Half Basutoland seems to be here," Lonsdale whispered to Michael.

"Well, with Hazlewood, Comeragh and Anstruther, all sons of Belial, what
else can you expect?" replied Michael.

Stella had seemed likely at first to give the favor of her attention
more to Hazlewood than to anybody else, but Maurice was in a dauntless
mood and, with Guy handicapped by having to pretend to assent to
Wedderburn's suggestions for entertainment, he managed at last to