cut out swearing for a
time.) "He's batty in the bean!"

Tennelly answered the shocked question in the eyes of Bill with a nod.
"Yes, the brightest fellow in the class, but he sure is batty in the
bean! You ought to have heard him talk. Say! I don't believe it was all
the fire. Court's been studying too hard. He's been an awful shark for a
fellow that went in for athletics and everything else. He's studied too
hard and it's gone to his head!"

Tennelly sat gloomily staring across the room. It was the old cry of the
man who cannot understand.

"He needs a little change," said Bill, putting his feet up on the table
comfortably and lighting a cigarette. "Pity the frat. dance is over. He
needs to get him a girl. Be a great stunt if he'd fall for some jolly
girl. Say! I'll tell you what. I'll get Gila after him."

"Who's Gila?" asked Tennelly, gloomily. "He won't notice her any more
than a fly on the wall. You know how he is about girls."

"Gila's my cousin. Gila Dare. She's a good sport, and she's a winner
every time. We'll put Gila on the job. I've got a date with her
to-morrow night and I'll put her wise. She'll just enjoy that kind of
thing. He's met her, too, over at the Navy game. Leave it to Gila."

"What style is she?" asked Tennelly, still skeptical.

"Oh, tiny and stylish and striking, with big eyes. A perfect little
peach of an actress."

"Court's too keen for acting. He'll see through her in half a second.
She can't put one over on Court."

"She won't try," said the ardent cousin. "She'll just be as innocent.
They'll be chums in half an hour, or it'll be the first failure for
Gila."

"Well, if any girl can put one over on Court, I'll eat my hat; but it's
worth trying, for if Court keeps on like this we'll all be buying
prayer-books and singing psalms before another semester."

"You'll eat your hat, all right," said Bill Ward, rising in his wrath.
"Nelly, my infant, I tell you Gila never fails. If she gets on the job
Court'll be dead in love with her before the midwinter exams.!"

"I'll believe it when I see it," said Tennelly, rising.

"All right," said Bill. "Remember you're in for a banquet during
vacation. Fricaseed hat the _piece de resistance_!"

CHAPTER III

It was a sumptuous library in which Gila Dare awaited the coming of Paul
Courtland.

Great, deep, red-leather chairs stood everywhere invitingly, the floor
was spread with a magnificent specimen of Royal Bokhara, the rich
r