ke an amusing show of
yourself by imagining that you are making a noble fight for freedom.
By decision of the president and myself I am compelled to give you
this one chance only. Unless I find your apology in my letter-box here
by five this evening I shall have to suspend you or bring you up
before the faculty for dismissal. But, my boy, I feel that perhaps,
for all your mistaken notions, you do have a certain amount of
courage, and I want to say a word----"

The dean did say a word; in fact he said a large number of admirable
words, regarding the effect of Carl's possible dismissal on his
friends, his family, and, with an almost tearful climax, on his
mother.

"Now go and think it over; pray over it, unselfishly, my boy, and let
me hear from you before five."

Only----

The reason why Carl _did_ visualize his mother, the reason why the
Ericson kitchen became so clear to him that he saw his tired-faced
mother reaching up to wind the alarm-clock that stood beside the ball
of odd string on the shelf above the water-pail, the reason why he
felt caved-in at the stomach, was that he knew he was going to leave
Plato, and did not know where in the world he was going.

* * * * *

A time of quick action; of bursting the bonds even of friendship. He
walked quietly into Genie Linderbeck's neat room, with its rose-hued
comforter on a narrow brass bed, passe-partouted Copley prints, and a
small oak table with immaculate green desk-blotter, and said
good-by.... His hidden apprehension, the cold, empty feeling of his
stomach, the nervous intensity of his motions, told him that he was
already on the long trail that leads to fortune and Bowery
lodging-houses and death and happiness. Even while he was warning
himself that he must not go, that he owed it to his "folks" to
apologize and stay, he was stumbling into the bank and drawing out his
ninety-two dollars. It seemed a great sum. While waiting for it he did
sums on the back of a deposit-slip:

92.00 out of bank
2.27 in pocket
about .10 at room
-----------------------
tot. 94.37

Owe Tailor 1.45
" Turk .25
To Mpls. 3.05
To Chi. probably 15 to 18.00
To N. Y. 20 to 30.00
To Europe (steerage) 40.00
----------------------------
Total (about) 92.75----would take me to Europe!

"Golly! I could go to Eu