cousin beyond the usual
campus greetings, except for a period of six weeks when the junior
happened to need him. But the career of James K. tickled immensely
the under classman's sense of humor. He was becoming the most dazzling
success ever developed by the college. Even with the faculty he stood
high, for if he lacked scholarship he had the more showy gifts that went
farther. He knew when to defer and when to ride roughshod to his end.
It was felt that his brilliancy had a solidity back of it, a quality of
flintiness that would endure.

James was inordinately ambitious and loved the spotlight like an
actor. The flamboyant oratory at which he excelled had won for him the
interstate contest. He was editor-in-chief of the "Verdenian," manager
of the varsity football team, and president of the college senate.

With the beginning of his senior year James entered another phase of his
development. He offered to the college a new, or at least an enlarged,
interpretation of himself. Some of his smiling good-fellowship had been
sloughed to make way for the benignity of a budding statesman. He still
held a tolerant attitude to the antics of his friends, but it was easy
to see that he had put away childish things. To his many young women
admirers he talked confidentially of his aims and aspirations. The
future of James K. Farnum was a topic he never exhausted.

It was, too, a subject which greatly interested Jeff and Sam Miller.
His cousin might smile at his poses, and often did, but he never denied
James qualities likely to carry him far.

"His one best bet is his belief in himself," Sam announced one night.

"It's a great thing to believe in yourself."

"He's so dead sure he's cast for a big part. The egoism just oozes out
of him. He doesn't know himself that he's a faker."

"He is a long way from that," Jeff protested warmly.

"Take his oratory," Miller went on irritably. "It's all bunk. He throws
a chest and makes you feel he's a big man, but what he says won't stand
analysis--just a lot of platitudes."

"Don't forget he's young yet. James K. hasn't found himself."

"Sure there's anything to find?"

"There's a lot in him. He's the biggest man in the university to-day."

"You practically wrote the oration that won the interstate contest.
Think I don't know that?" Miller snorted.

Jeff's mouth took on a humorous twist. "I gave him some suggestions. How
did you know?"

"Knew he wasn't hanging around last term fo