The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-02-18

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played the dickens" one remarked
Il wonder if it could have been sui
cider"
Hope he wouldn't be such a fool, Il
said the other, ..and what would he do
it for2 He was the Iuckiest fellow
The refectory bell began ringing and
they moved of Warwick SIT up,
closed his eyes and sank back, then,
rallying all his forces, struggled to
his feet and leaned against the win
dow frame. His pulses were beating
deafeningly and his feet tingIed as if
full of needles. He would have fallen
had he not caught hold of the window
sill
Evans ana Martin, two members Of
the football team, looked in.
Somebody started a cock and bull
story about this place being haunted, =
Evans said, leaning forward to set q
better view AS he did SO, he laid his
hand upon Warwick's and reeled back,
his face nvid Martin began pounding
him On the back; two or three passers,
running up, laid him on the grass and
tore open his collar; others, swelling
the crowd, stood on tiptoe to catch
sight Of him, and hazarded the infor-
nation that he was in a fit from over
training" Presently he sat up, made
some explanations to the inner circle,
and, having been helped to his feet,
went off III shame-faced way with
the crowd
Sick in body and mind, Warwick
crawled feebly through the window
and followed them Hoping for some
opportunity of explanation, he went to
chapel, where DR.. Austin, the presi-
dent, notioning toward the place
where Warwick was sitting, spoke
touching1y of that vacant chair" then
announced the suspension of all col
lege work for the remainder of the
week, and the selection of Friday for
the memorial services.
On the appointed day, the Presbyte-
riaa church, the largest building il
town, was packed to suffocation. War
wick had taken the precaution Of going
early and sitting On the edge Of the
platform where he was sure no one
would jostle against him. At half past
three the faculty marched slowly in,
to the strains of Chopin's funeral
march, and seated themselves on the
platform; after them came the trus-
tees, then the seniors in cap and gown,
followed by the lower classmen, then
the mayor and city council, and, final
~, G great wave of femininity, in di
aphanous lawns and with hats like a
parterre Of flowers. The aisles were
filed with chairs until there was no
more standing room, and through the
open windows he could see a crowd
of people who could not get in He
scanned the sea of faces in search of
one he hoped was there, and, by fol
lowing the glances of Amber and
dozen others, he finally discovered it in
the front row of the gallery. White as
her dress, and with dark shadows un-
der her blue eyes, Isabel famed her
self and listened absently to the Whis-
pered remarks of her neighbors.
Suddenly Warwick became conscious
that the preliminary exercises were
over, and that DR.. Austin was speak
ing. People were shedding tears as he
told OF the struggles Of the young man
to get through college, of his wonder
full success III his chosen profession,
of his enthusiasm at the discovery Of
radiun1, and of his conviction that one
might go step farther and render
Opaque bodies perfectly transparent,
if only one could find the right com
binations.
Warwick looked up at Isabel. She
was leaning forward now, her face
flushed, her lips quiVering as she
breath!essly followed the speaker.
Suddenly she made wild gesture. as
if an overwhelming thought had
struck her, and, covering her face with
her hands, she leaned back, apparent
" weeping
AS he stood on a bench, waiting for
the audience to pass, he was deaf to
the peoples murmured comments on
Isabe1s behavior, as well as to the
wonder as to what could
have become Of his body He was
conscious of only two things-she I'M
derstood what had befallen him and
she cared
The long summer vacation was over,
and DR.. Austin was looking over an
accumulation of letters Gazing
through the door he could see from
where he sat a group of students