ion. Was this love? Was he
in love?

He flung himself down on Tennelly's couch when he got back to the
dormitory. Bill Ward was deep in a book under the drop-light, and
Tennelly was supposed to be finishing a theme for the next day.

"Nelly, what is love?" asked Courtland, suddenly, in the midst of the
silence. "How do you know when you are in love?"

Tennelly dropped his fountain-pen in his surprise, and had to crawl
under the table after it. He and Bill Ward exchanged one lightning
glance of relief as he emerged from the table.

"Search me!" said Tennelly, as he sat down again. "Love's an illusion,
they say. I never tried it, so I don't know."

There was silence again in Tennelly's room. Presently Courtland got up
and said good-night. Over in his own room he stood by the window,
looking out into the moonlight. The preacher had said prayer was talking
with the Lord face to face. That was a new idea. Courtland dropped upon
his knees and talked aloud to God as he had never opened his heart to
living creature before. If prayer was that, why, prayer was good!

Gila, standing bewildered, studying her pretty, discontented little face
in the mirror, with all its masks laid aside, would have shivered in
fear and been all the more uncertain of her success if she could have
known that the man she would have had for a lover was on his knees
talking about her to God. Her little naked soul in a garden all alone
with the Lord God, and a man who was set to follow Him!

Tennelly looked up and raised his eyebrows as Courtland closed the door.
"Guess you needn't have written that letter, after all!" chuckled Bill
Ward. "I thought Gila would get in her little old work!"

"Well, it's written and mailed, so that doesn't do any good now. And,
anyway, it's always well to have more than one string to your bow!"
growled Tennelly. Courtland in love! He wasn't exactly sure he liked it.
Courtland and Gila! What kind of a girl was Gila, anyway? Was she good
enough for Court? He must look into this.

"Say, Bill, why don't you introduce me to your cousin? I think it's
about time I had a chance to judge for myself how things are getting
on," growled Tennelly, presently.

"Sure!" said Bill. "Good idea! Why didn't you mention it before? How
about going now? It's only half past ten. Court didn't stay very late,
did he? No, it isn't too late for Gila. She never goes to bed till
midnight, not if there's anything interesting on. Wait. I'll call