able, clean cut,
everyday young fellows.

To them he related the circumstances of his capture, and they all laughed
heartily. Then he told them that he was here merely on probation for a
day or two, naively displaying the yellow ribbon.

Willett laughed. "Oh, that's all right. They usually say that. We all
came in on probation; the Regents couldn't agree, and some girl always
swings the deciding vote as a special favour to herself."

"You don't think they'll kick me out?"

"Not much!" laughed Willett. "First of all, your captor would object--not
necessarily for sentimental reasons, but because she caught you; you are
hers, her game; she says to herself: 'A poor thing, but mine own!' and
hangs to you like grim death. Besides, no woman ever lets any man loose
voluntarily. And women haven't changed radically, Mr. Langdon. Don't
worry; you can stay, all right."

"Here comes Betty Challis," said Carrick, glancing at Alphonso W. Green.
"It's you for a stroll, I guess."

Mr. Green looked conscious; more conscious still when the pretty Miss
Challis strolled up, presented him with a bouquet, and stood for a few
moments conversing with everybody, perfectly at her ease. Other girls
came up and engaged the young men in lively conversation. Presently Miss
Challis made a play for hers:

"Would you care to canoe, Mr. Green?" she asked casually, turning to him
with a slight blush which she could not control.

Green blushed, too, and consented in a low voice.

As they were departing, Miss Vining rode up on horseback, leading another
horse, which De Lancy Smith, at her request, nimbly mounted; and away
they galloped down a cool forest road, everybody looking after them.

Miss Darrell cut out and roped Willett presently and took him to walk in
the direction of a pretty cascade.

A charming girl, a Miss Trenor, arrived with a hammock, book, and
bon-bons, and led Carrick away somewhere by virtue of a previous
agreement, and the remaining girls pretended not to care, and strolled
serenely off in pretty bunches, leaving Langdon standing, first on one
foot, then on the other, waiting to be spoken to.

Abandoned, he wandered about the tennis court, kicking the balls moodily.
Tiring of this, he sat down under a tree and twirled his thumbs.

Once or twice some slender figure passed, glancing brightly at him, and
he looked as shyly receptive as he could, but to no purpose. Gloom
settled over him; hunger tormented him; he gazed disco