Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-07
The Paths of Peace.

| speak on the Ethics OF Education at O
great western university. and had left di-
rections that the case of Stetson should
! not be called until his return. Faculty
meeting. therefore, had been destitute of
its usual exhilaration. The student In ques-
ton had been boasting on the campus. and
his father on the street corners. that so far
from being punished. he was being upheld
by the president. 1t stimulated the few re-
calcitrants~- 1t staggered bit the grow ng
faith of the battalion In their Instructor.
Stetson passed him at first with no other
greeting than an impudent leer. but, en-
boldened by whisky, the gathering dusk
and gang at his back, he presently went
still further.
1t was a gusty November evening Fame
was coming brfskly down the lakeside walk
after sharp and exhilarating drill 1t was
his duty to see the last man ont of the
gymnasium. and to lock the door. The
students who went his way toward town
were therefore always well ahead and he
came on alone. Students Travelled in squads
of six or eight. a rule. and in support
ing distance, for it was favorite past
of lot OF young ruffians from the shops
ana saloons of a nearby suburb TO cruise
ABOUT the corners at nighJfall in hopes of
waylaying some stray collegian: the street
blackguard. like that other savage the
Apache. lighting best when ten to one To
such as these Fame in his cavalry uniform
and crippled condition offered a tempting
mark, but an indefinite sense of uncertainty
as TO the young regulars possibilities n
pistol shot. in case that arm were carried
as was the obviously crippled one had re-
stricted their affronts to those described.
Fame had, however. abandoned that route
and. taken the longer and more solitary
way along the lake. 1t led him first through
dense grove on the college grounds, thence
down to the shore and under the rocky
cliffs where he had met Ethel Hoyt and
so, by many turnings. to the scattered
homeSteads in the midst of which he had
found temporary Judgment for himself and
the mother and sister dependent upon him.
Just as the almost wntry cleaning was set
ting down upon the peaceful scene-here,
as he rounded rocky point and came with
In view of the white walls of his home
he tecame aware of half a dozen young fell
lows. some of the same gang he had
hitherto encountered about the corners of
the avenue beyond, roosting on a low, fiat
topped stone wall beside the pathway. and
tossing stones across it into the FLASHING
waters.
Feigning not to note his coming though
every face was toward him as he turned the
point. and he it and knew that they
were there for his benefit, they kept up the
rapid fusillade, and he had either to stop
and wait for them to desist, or take the
chance of being hit. He chose the latter,
and went ahead, wherein, said the presi-
dent, he entirely wrong; he should have
politely asked them to permit him to pass,
and they undoubtedly would have done it.
Through the slanting fire he went I'M
scathed until opposite the fifth man, whose
missile glanced from his right shoulder
strap, just under his chin and thence into
the lake. That might have been an acct
dent; what followed was not. There was
tered nor turned. more aggressive move.
He had caught sight of Stetson seated at
the end of the row, and voice he instantly
recognized as Stetsons called mockingly
after him:
Hello. Cap! How are you now7"
1t was pound too much and as the hot
blood flashed to the soldiers temples and
he whirled about to face the pot-valiant
gang, stone, better aimed and weighty,
struck him squarely between the eyes HUI
man nature. could stand no more Spirit
and temper had been soreiy triedt for weeks
Though he reeled instant from the shock
and through a million dancing stars he saw
the treetops turning red. his one good hand
instinctively flew to the guard of the light
saber at his side, and the long blade leaped
from the scabbard as he sprang at his
haunting foe. Quick to scent danger as to
invite ii, every sinner of their number was
already off the wall and away. Only the
rearmost could the bleeding and half
blinded soldier overtake. and him. bowling
blasphemy and protestation, Fame battered
over the legs with the back of h s blade I'M
til the fellow stumbled and fell on his face.
then with the fiat thrashed him over the
buttocks until. scrambling and cursing the
victim managed to get away. leaving the
victor to stanch his own wound and for
the moment, at least, to mourn his luck
that the one brute he punished was not the
one who most deserved it--Stetson himself.
When that episode was duly aired before
students action and language Fane's
story about above; that of Stet-
son and his corroborating hackers was to
the effect that the officer had taken offense
at the students simply asking how he was.
and because he had been accidentally hit
with pebbles they were pitching into the
lake. The witnesses were five to one
against him, and the president called his
attention to that significant fact
fTo be continued tomorrow