The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-03-03
SYNOPSIS

CHAPTER vIII.-Dors appears TO have
made decided hit with her fellow stu
dents. to Ramsey's supreme wonderment
A rumor OF his affair with the nckIe
Milla spreads and he gets the reputa tion
or man OF experience ana woman
hater"
CHAPTER IX.-Tbe story comes to the
spring OF 1915 and the sinking of the Lusi.
tania. The university IL stirred to ~
wire the government offering their serv-
Ices In the war which they believe to b.
inevitable. Dora. holding the belief thai
all war Is wrong. sees with horror the
spirit Of the students, which IL an intense
desire TO call Germany to account. She
seeks Ramsey and endesyors to impress
him with her pacinst views.
At twilight. Ramsey was walking
medit;sively on his way to dinner at
the frat house, across the campus
from his apartment at Mrs. Meigs'
Everything WAS quiet now, both town
and gown; the students were AT their
dinners and so were the burghers.
Ramsey was late, hut did not quicken
his thoughtful steps. which were those
Of one lost in reverie. He had forgot
ten that springtime was all about him
and. with his head down. walked un-
regardfu of the new gayeties flung
forth upon the air by great clusters of
towering shrubs. just come into white
blossom and lavender
He was unconscious that somebody
behind him, going the same way. came
fastening to overtake him and called
his name, Ramsey! Ramsey MilhOl-
iand!" Not until he had been called
three times did he realize that he was
being hailed-and in girls voice !.
BY that time the girl herself was be-
side him, and Ramsey halted, quite
taken aback. The girl was Dora Yo-
cum.
She was pale. little breathless.
and her eyes were bright and severe.
II want to speak to you" she said,
quickly. II want to ask you about
something. Mr.. COlburn and Fred
Mitchell are the only people know in
your frat except you, and | haven't
seen either of them today, or I'd have
asked one of them"
Most intentionally astonished,
Ramsey took his hands out Of his peck
cts, picked leaf from a lilac bush be-
side the path, and put the stem of the
mouth, befof'ei iihi1dfhg Anything e sly sly.
''Wel--well all right" he finally re-
sponded. "I'll tell yOu-if it's any
thing know about"
"You know about it," said Dora
THAT is you certainly do if you were
at your frat meeting last night
Were your
Eyes. was there" Ramsey an
swered, wondering what in the world
she wanted to know, though ne sup.
posed vaguely that 1t must be some
thing about COlburn, whom he had
several times seen walking with her.
''Of course l couldn't tell you much"
he added with an afterthought. You
see, good deal that goes on at frat
meeting isn't supposed to he talked
about"
Yes" she said, smiling family.
though with satire that missed him.
1--WE been member Of a sorority since
September, and think / have an idea
Of what could be told or not told.
Suppose we walk on, If you don't mind.
My question needn't embarrass you"
Nevertheless. as they slowly went on
together, Ramsey was embarrassed.
He felt queer" They had known
each other so long; in way had
shared so much, sitting daily for years
near each other and undergoing the
same outward experiences they had
almost grown up together" yet this
was the first time they had ever talked
together or walked together.
"Well---" he said. IF you want to
ask anything it's all right for me to
tell you-well. just as soon. guess"
ut has nothing to do with the secret
proceedings of your frat" said Dora,
primly. What l want to ask about
has been talked of all over the place
today. Everyone has been saying 1t
was your frat that sent the first tele-
gram to members Of the government
offering support in case OF war with
Germany. They say you didn't ever
walt until today, but sent off mes
sage last night. What / wanted to
ask YOU was whether this story Is true
or notT'
"Why, yes" said Ramsey, mildly.
That's what we did"
She uttered an exclamation, a sound
of grief and of suspicion confirmed.
"Ah. | was afraid sol"
"'Afraid so?' What's the matter?"
he asked, and because she seemed ex-
cited and troubled. he found himself
not quite so embarrassed as he had
been at first for some reason her agi-
tation made him feel easier. What
was wrong about thatT'
"Oh. It's all so shocking and wick
ed and mistaken she cried. Even
the faculty has been doing 1t, and half
the other 'frats' and sororities, And
1t was yours that started It,"
Eyes, we did" he said, thoroughly
puzzled. "We're the oldest frat here,
and Of course"-he chuckled modestIy
-''of course we think we're the best.
Do you mean you believe we ought
to've sat back and let somebody else
start it,"
"Oh. MOI" she answered, vehemeAtly.
Nobody ought to have started 1t
That's the trouble; don't you see? II
nobody had started it none of 1t might
have happened. The rest mightnt
have caught 1t. II mightn't have got
into their heads. A war thought is the
most contagious thought In the world;
but IL 1t can be kept from starting, 1t
can be kept from being contagious.
It's Just when people have got into an