The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-07-25
THAT COUSIN.
Great game" said the sophomore


yes" replied the junior. IT'S near
ly 9. Let's go and get something t.
eat"
The sophomore glanced at him out Of
the corner of his eye. I'm going NJ
town to dinner" he said hesitatingly.
WHAT said the junior. "Didn'
you tell Inc that we'd take dinner TO
gether, go to the theater and catch the
! 80 train backY
"Well, you see, hadn't received THU
invitation then"
"That makes no difference" said thu
junior sternly. you made an engage
ment with me. Are you going to breal
IT,
mo" said the sophomore. Only
"Who is sheY
It'll do you no good to know" saI(
the sophomore.
81 don't want to know" said the JUN
Tor. "Was II the one on the coach"
The sophomore nodded. 81 met hel
Mt the beach last vacation" he said
II never called on her here. but she
asked me TO dinner tonight. She has
cousin I'm college. | never asked bis
name for fear she'd want me TO look
him up"
A broad smile came over the face OF
The junior, but when the sophomore
turned toward him he was preternatu
rally grave.
you're going, then, are your he
asked.
"Yes." said the sophomore calmly.
81 think I'll go with you" he said.
WHAT said the sophomore.
"You could say that you had brought
n friend with you" said the Junior.
1T would be all right. She'd under
stand"
I'D look pretty, wouldn't ~ said
the sophomore.
ave no doubt Of It," said the junior.
"You always do"
"She'd think me an ass" said the
sophomore.
"Well, what's the use trying to de-
ceIve herY asked the junior cOldly.
Il might tell her you were a lunatic, "
said the sophomore thoughtfully.
"That would do" the junior agreed.
The sophomore looked at him crit
ically.
Il believe you would do it" he said
at last. ITS a blessed thing that I'll
not take you"
How'll you help yOurself?' asked
the Junior, with interest
The sophomore glanced over his
shoulder at the clock.
Its time for me to start" he said.
"Goodby. I'll meet you at the train"
The junior promptly rose and follow
ed him. At the door the sophomore
turned and looked at him helplessly.
Il say, now, you'll not he began.
"Come on" said the junior. There
goes n car"
Ht
"You don't really mean he began.
"That I'll invade the young womau's
homer put In the Junior. Il do. I'm
der your protection | will have no hesi-
tatiOn."
The sophomore did not look at him
when they got off the car. Half way
down the square he stopped at the foot
OF a flight of steps and turned his eyes
doubtfully from the door above TO the
Junior.
as this the placer" asked the Junior
innOcently. Pm beginning to get nerv-
Gus. l always do when go calling"
you'll need all your nerve this
time" said The sophomore bitterly.
He went up stairs slowly, the junior
close behind him. At the top he turned
sharply around.
do you really mean to do so ungen-
tlemanly a thing?" he demanded.
ITS not ungentlemanly." said the
Junior stOutly. "All you have to do
ooh, shut upp' said the sophomore.
He turned away and put his hand on
the bell. Then he looked back over his
shoulder. The junior was leaning cas-
fly against the broad railing Of the We
randa.
81 believe you're fool enough to fol-
low me ln," said the sophomore an
grily.
IL am" said the junior calmly. "Per-
haps not exactly that, but Wen not
fight over terms"
you can take dinner here II you
want to-" the sophomore went on. IL
believe that you have no more sense
than to try. I'll wait on the corner to
see you kicked out. Then I'll go back
to the hotel and get something to eat"
"Pll go with you" said the junior
readily.
The sophomore turned and stole quiet
ly down the steps.
"We'll go back to the hotel and carry
out the original programme" said the
Junior.
The sophomore did not echo his en-
thusiasm. Even when he found him.
self opposite the junior at little white
table In the cafe, among his friends
and I'm the presence OF a clamorous ar
gument about the game. he did not I'M
bend. But by the time that the oys-
tiers came In his face began to clear.
81 suppose you'll tell this thing all
over college," he said ruefully.
'It's a good thing that they don't
peel these lemons" said the Junior.
zone would never know what they
were IL 1t were not for the yellow out
side"
"What troubles me most" said the
sophomore. rs what the dickens the
girl will think of me-"
The junior lifted an oyster on his
fork and looked at II closely.
"Don't worry about that" he said.
'T'll fix It all right with her."
The sophomore stopped his glass half
way to his mouth and looked at him
over the rim in amazement.
I'm the cousin at college whose