d had a
glimpse when the boy was anxiously watching his young cousin Price in
the mile run; and to this quality Lawrence's greeting of his brother had
unconsciously appealed. Westby had stood by and heard his words, "_You_
carry that, you little fellow!" had seen the humor in his eyes and the
gentleness on his lips, and had felt something in his own throat.

For all his affectation of worldliness and cynicism, the boy was a
hero-worshiper at heart, and could never resist being attracted by a
fine face and a handsome pair of eyes and a pleasant voice; Lawrence had
in the first glance awakened an enthusiasm which was eager for near
acquaintance. And now, although he talked so venomously against him, it
was not Lawrence whom he reproached in his heart; it was himself.

Why had he been unable to resist the impulse to be smart, to be funny,
to be cheap? He might have known that a fellow like Lawrence would see
through his remark and would resent it; he might have known that his
silly, clownish wink could not escape Lawrence's keen eyes.

So Westby walked on, gloomily reproaching himself, unconscious that at
that very moment, walking a hundred yards behind, Irving was defending
him.

"A month ago, Lawrence, I'd have been glad to have you light on Westby
as you did," he said. "But now I'm rather sorry."

"Why so?"

"Oh, he's had some hard luck lately, and--well, I don't know. Those
encounters with a boy don't seem to me worth while."

"You've got to suppress them when they're fresh like that," insisted
Lawrence. "For a fellow to talk to you in that fresh way before a
guest--and that guest your brother--I don't stand for it; that's all."

"No, I don't either. Well, it doesn't matter much; reproof slides off
Westby like water off a duck's back."

They talked of other things then until Lawrence had to join his team and
enter the athletic house with them to dress.

Out on the field Irving mingled with the crowd, walked to and fro
nervously, stopped to say only a word now to a boy, now to a master, and
then passed on. It was foolish for him to be so excited, so tremulous,
he told himself. Lawrence had parted from him with the same calmness
with which he might have gone to prepare for bed. It was all the more
foolish to be so excited, because the accessories to promote a
preliminary excitement were lacking,--rivalry, partisanship; the visiting
team had no supporters.

The School had turned out to see the game, but there