The Southern herald., 1922-04-21
neutrality-suspicious.
CHAPTER lX.-continued.

leaf seriously into corner Of his
mouth, before finding anything to say,
"Well-well, all right" he finally re-
sponded. "Tll tell you-lf 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 you?"
"Yes, was there" Ramsey an
swered, wondering what In the world
she wanted 10 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 l couldn't tell you much"
he added with an afterthought. You
see, a good deal that goes on at a frat
meeting isn't supposed to be talked
about"
"Yes," she said smiling family,
though with a satire that missed him.
"Pve been a member of sorority since
September, and l 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 a 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"
"It has nothing to do with the secret
proceedings of your frat, said Dora,
primly. what 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 pot"
"Why, yes" said Ramsey, mildly.
"That's what we did"
She uttered an exclamation, a sound
of grief and Of suspicion confirmed.
"Ah I was afraid so"
"'Afraid soY 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
1t was yours that started it."
"Yes, 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, mol" she answered, vehemently.
"NObody ought to have started it!
That's the trouble; don't you see? If
nobody had started 1t none of 1t might
have happened. The rest mlghtn'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 a 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 telegramsi | thought-oh
was so sure I'd convinced Mr.. Col
burn of all this, the last time we
talked Of 1t! He seemed to under
stand, and l was sure he agreed with
me-" She bit her lip. "He was only
pretending-I see that nowm
II guess he must "a been" said
Ramsey with admirable simplicity.
"He didn't talk about anything like
that last night. lie was as much for
IL as anybody"
"Pve no doubtm
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
10 threaten her very wde.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 few minutes sometimes
better than he'd always thought he
could.
"Well," he said, "Colburn prob1y
wouldn't want to hurt your feelings
or anything. Colburn-"
He? He didn't! l haven't the
falntest personal interest in what he
did"
"Ohl" said Ramsey. "Well, excuse