The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1922-04-14
CHAPTER Ix.-continued.

leaf seriously into a corner of his
mouth, before finding anything to say.
"Well-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"
"Yes, was there" Ramsey an
swered, wondering what in the world
she wanted to know, though he sup
posed vaguely that it must be some
thing about Colburn, whom he had
several times seen walking with her.
"Of course 1 couldn't tell you much"
he added, with an afterthought. "You
see, good deal that goes on at frat
meeting isn't supposed to be talked
about"
"Yes," she said, smiling family.
though with a satire that missed him.
"I've been member of 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"
sit has nothing to do with the secret
proceedings Of your frat" said Dora,
primly. "What I want to ask about
has been talked of all over the place
today. Everyone has been saying it
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 even
wait until today. but sent off mes
sage last night. What wanted to
ask you was whether this story is true
or not?"
"Why, yes" said Ramsey, mildly.
"That's what we did"
She uttered an exclamation, 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 that?"
"Oh, it's all so shocking and wick
ed and mistaken" she cried. even
the faculty has been doing it, and half
the other 'frats' and sororities! And
it was yours that started it."
eyes, we did," he said thoroughly
puzzled. "We're the oldest frat here
and of course"-he chuckled modestly
-"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, no" she answered, vehemently.
Nobody ought to have started it!
That's the trouble; don't you see? If
nobody had started it none of it might
have happened. The rest mightn't
have caught it. 1t mightn't have got
into their heads. A war thought is the
most contagious thought in the world !;
but If it can be kept from starting, it
can be kept from being contagious.
It's just when people have got into an
emotional state, or state of smoul-
dering rage, that everybody ought to
be so terribly careful not to think war
thoughts or make war speeches-or
send war kilograms! l thought-oh
l was so sure I'd convinced Mr.. Col
burn of all this, the last time we
talked of it! He seemed to under
stand, and ! was sure he agreed with
me-" She bit her lip. HE was only
pretending see that now!"
81 guess he must "a been," said
Ramsey, with admirable simplicity.
HE didn't talk about anything like
that last night. He was as much for
1t as anybody"
1--WE no doubtr
Ramsey made bold to look at her
out of the side of his eye, and as she
was gazing tensely forward he contin-
ued his observation for some time. She
was obviously controlling agitation, al
most controlling tears. which seemed
to threaten her very wide-open eyes !;
for those now fully grown and notice
able eye-winkers of hers were subject
to fluctuations indicating such a
threat. She looked hurt" and Ram
sey was touched. There was something
human about her, then, after all. And
If he had put his feeling into words at
the moment, he would have said that
he guessed maybe he could stand this
ole girl, for a few minutes sometimes
better than he'd always thought he
could
"Well." he said, "Colburn prob'ly
wouldn't want TO hurt your feelings
or anything. Colburn-"
HE? He didn't! haven't the
faintest personal interest in what he
did"