on of which Hugh was genuinely proud. There were plenty of men
in the chapter whom he did not like or toward whom he was indifferent,
but he had learned to ignore them and center his interest in those men
whom he found congenial.

The first term was ideal, but the second became a maelstrom of doubt and
trouble in which he whirled madly around trying to find some philosophy
that would solve his difficulties.

When Norry returned to college after the Christmas vacation, he told
Hugh that he had seen Cynthia. Naturally, Hugh was interested, and the
mere mention of Cynthia's name was still enough to quicken his pulse.

"How did she look?" he asked eagerly.

"Awful."

"What! What's the matter? Is she sick?"

Norry shook his head. "No, I don't think she is exactly sick," he said
gravely, "but something is the matter with her. You know, she has been
going an awful pace, tearing around like crazy. I told you that, I know,
when I came back in the fall. Well, she's kept it up, and I guess she's
about all in. I couldn't understand it. Cynthia's always run with a fast
bunch, but she's never had a bad name. She's beginning to get one now."

"No!" Hugh was honestly troubled. "What's the matter, anyway? Didn't you
try to stop her?"

Norry smiled. "Of course not. Can you imagine me stopping Cynthia from
doing anything she wanted to do? But I did have a talk with her. She got
hold of me one night at the country club and pulled me off in a corner.
She wanted to talk about you."

"Me?" Hugh's heart was beginning to pound. "What did she say?"

"She asked questions. She wanted to know everything about you. I guess
she asked me a thousand questions. She wanted to know how you looked,
how you were doing in your courses, where you were during vacation, if
you had a girl--oh, everything; and finally she asked if you ever talked
about her?"

"What did you say?" Hugh demanded breathlessly.

"I told her yes, of course. Gee, Hugh, I thought she was going to cry.
We talked some more, all about you. She's crazy about you, Hugh; I'm
sure of it. And I think that's why she's been hitting the high spots. I
felt sorry as the devil for her. Poor kid...."

"Gee, that's tough; that's damn tough. Did she send me any message?"

"No. I asked her if she wanted to send her love or anything, and she
said she guessed not. I think she's having an awful time, Hugh."

That talk tore Hugh's peace of mind into quivering shreds. Cynthia was
with him eve