There had been a fight in the
fraternity over his election. The "regular guys" opposed him and offered
one of their own number as a candidate. Gates, however, was prominent in
campus activities and had his own following in the house; as a result,
he was elected by a slight margin.

He won Hugh's loyalty at the first fraternity meeting after he took the
chair. "Some things are going to be changed in this house," he said
sternly, "or I will bring influence to bear that will change them."
Every one knew that he referred to the national president of the
fraternity. "There will be no more drunken brawls in this house such as
we had at the last house dance. Any one who brings a cheap woman into
this house at a dance will hear from it. Both my fiancee and my sister
were at the last dance. I do not intend that they shall be insulted
again. This is not a bawdy-house, and I want some of you to remember
that."

He tried very hard to pass a rule, such as many of the fraternities had,
that no one could bring liquor into the house and that there should be
no gambling. He failed, however. The brothers took his scolding about
the dance because most of them were heartily ashamed of that occasion;
but they announced that they did not intend to have the chapter turned
into the S.C.A., which was the Sanford Christian Association. It would
have been well for Hugh if the law had been passed. Vinton's insistent
generosity was rapidly turning him into a steady drinker. He did not get
drunk, but he was taking down more high-balls than were good for him.

Outside of his drinking, however, he was leading a virtuous and, on the
whole, an industrious life. He was too much in love with Cynthia Day to
let his mind dwell on other women, and he had become sufficiently
interested in his studies to like them for their own sake.

A change had come over the campus. It was inexplicable but highly
significant. There had been evidences of it the year before, but now it
became so evident that even some of the members of the faculty were
aware of it. Intolerance seemed to be dying, and the word "wet" was
heard less often. The undergraduates were forsaking their old gods. The
wave of materialism was swept back by an in-rushing tide of idealism.
Students suddenly ceased to concentrate in economics and filled the
English and philosophy classes to overflowing.

No one was able really to explain the causes for the change, but it was
there and welcome. The "San