Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-06-12
CHAPTER X.

"It'S not a matter or friendSn1p." De-
gan Edward. with even more than his
usual doggedness. ITS simply a mat
ter of necessity. I've stood the racket
as long as l can stand it. If you're
bound to make fool Of yourself. l
don't know that l am bound to room
with you and suffer from it."
mo, you'll look after Edward Blake
all right enoughw retorted Willis
either purposely or unconsciously prob
Ing down into the real seltishness Of
Edwards moral rectitude.
Edward turned and went on with his
packing. and Willis went back into the
other room.
There was a silence Of several min
utes. Then Edward came out Of his
bedroom and gathered up his books
and few other things that belonged to
! him and went back into his bedroom
with them. He packed them in and
flung down the lid. locked it, strapped
the trunk and came out into the room
and took down his coat and put on his
hat.
want any help about getting your
trunk down stairs? You had to have
some about getting 1t up." said Willis
as he wheeled about from the window
where he was standing and faced Ed
ward. his hand in his pocket and a
smile on his face that hurt Edward
more than il he had struck him. The
words and the tone reminded him ir-
resistibly of that first meeting. when
he had Iefriended him during that first
blow Of great trouble. Aud here he
was leaving him when perhaps he
ought to stay by LIN. And the promise
to Willis mother - was he true to
that?
If Willis had uttered plea then. II
is possible Edward might have recon.
sidrred his action. But Willis turned
around to the window again and began
to whistle a tune. 1t was. unfortunate
ly. the same tune he had whistled the
night before. and the sound irritGted
Edward again.
Here's my key" he said shortly
going over to Willis table and flinging
1t down.
"All right" said Willis quietly. Then
he suddenly turned around and faced
Edward. and there was actually a tear
In his eye.
Wont you shake hands. Ned. before
you go? l don't blame you bit. BY
George. l wonder you've stood 1t as
long as you have. But don't want
vo, to hnow ,,,., III will I'll M e. h.
fast enough without your helping te
push" =.
The unexpected attitude Of Willis
almost upset Edward. He put out his
hand silently and shook Willis, and
as he did so his eye travelled down the
empty coat sleeve. And, again, il
Willis had waited just second Ed
ward might even then have changed
his mind. But he turned around tt
the window and resumed his whis
Ting, and Edward slowly went ovel
into his bedroom and dragged out hi:
trunk, put 1t out In the hall. shut the
door and went down stairs. leaving the
trunk against the wall at the end oil
the upper passage.
He had not the slightest idea as t.
where he would 60 or what he would
do for room; but be felt the need first
of bit Of solitude. and he went of
into piece of woods down in one cor
ner Of the campus and had time al
by himself. during which he cooled of
a little, although when he came bach
up on the hill he had not changed his
mind concerning the step he had taker
and was, If anything, more deeply con
WINGED that he had done the right
thing for himself. The only thing thai
troubled him much was the thought OF
Willis mother. Would she consider
Edward false to his. promise that he
would do all In his power for her som
Had he exhausted all possible efforts
to save him, or had he deserted him
Just because of the annoyance and
discomfort of a few unpleasant times
with himP
T. TO nm CONTINr1rD