from a cold. For two weeks the
junior and senior classes had been furtively exhibiting her
holly-decked cards of invitation. Eddie had been included, but after
his quarrel with Howard Griffin, a Plato College freshman who was
spending the vacation with Ray Cowles, it had been explained to Eddie
that perhaps he would be more comfortable not to come to the party.

Gertie's brother, Murray, or "Ray," was the town hero. He had
captained the high-school football team. He was tall and very
black-haired, and he "jollied" the girls. It was said that twenty
girls in Joralemon and Wakamin, and a "grass widow" in St. Hilary,
wrote to him. He was now a freshman in Plato College, Plato,
Minnesota. He had brought home with him his classmate, Howard Griffin,
whose people lived in South Dakota and were said to be wealthy.
Griffin had been very haughty to Eddie Klemm, when introduced to that
brisk young man at the billiard-parlor, and now, the town eagerly
learned, Eddie had been rejected of society.

In the laboratory Carl was growling: "Well, say, Fatty, if it was
right for them to throw Eddie out, where do I come in? His dad 's a
barber, and mine 's a carpenter, and that's just as bad. Or how about
you? I was reading that docs used to be just barbers."

"Aw, thunder!" said Ben Rusk, the doctor's scion, uncomfortably,
"you're just arguing. I don't believe that about doctors being
barbers. Don't it tell about doctors 'way back in the Bible? Why, of
course! Luke was a physician! 'Sides, it ain't a question of Eddie's
being a barber's son. I sh'd think you'd realize that Gertie isn't
well. She wouldn't want to have to entertain both Eddie and Griffin,
and Griffin 's her guest; and besides----"

"You're getting all tangled up. If I was to let you go on you'd trip
over a long word and bust your dome. Come on. We've done enough
cleaning. Le's hike. Come on up to the house and help me on my bobs. I
got a new scheme for pivoting the back sled.... You just wait till
to-night. I'm going to tell Gertie and Mister Howard Griffin just what
I think of them for being such two-bit snobs. And your future
ma-in-law. Gee! I'm glad I don't have to be in love with anybody, and
become a snob! Come on."

Out of this wholesome, democratic, and stuffy village life Carl
suddenly stepped into the great world. A motor-car, the first he had
ever seen, was drawn up before the Hennepin House.

He stopped. His china-blue eyes widened. His shoulders shot forw