you, Court? We've got to get in on this,"
shouted one as he thrust a noisy bit of flannel head-gear at Courtland.

Courtland gave the garments a kick behind him and stood watching.

There was a moment's tense silence while they told the victim what they
had come for, and while the light of welcome in Stephen Marshall's eyes
melted and changed into lightning. A dart of it went with a searching
gleam out into the hall, and seemed to recognize Courtland as he stood
idly smiling, watching the proceedings. Then the lightning was withheld
in the gray eyes, and Marshall seemed to conclude that, after all, the
affair must be a huge kind of joke, seeing Courtland was out there.
Courtland had been friendly. He must not let his temper rise. The kindly
light came into the eyes again, and for an instant Marshall almost
disarmed the boldest of them with his brilliant smile. He would be game
as far as he understood. That was plain. It was equally plain that he
did not understand yet what was expected of him.

Pat McCluny, thick of neck, brutal of jaw, low-browed, red of face,
blunt of speech, the finest, most unmerciful tackler on the football
team, stepped up to Stephen and said a few words in a low tone.
Courtland could not hear what they were save that they ended with an
oath, the choicest of Pat Cluny's choice collection.

Instantly Stephen Marshall drew himself back, and up to his great
height, lightning and thunder-clouds in his gray eyes, his powerful arms
folded, his fine head crowned with its wealth of beautiful gold hair
thrown a trifle back and up, his lips shut in a thin, firm line, his
whole attitude that of the fighter; but he did not speak. He only looked
from one to another of the wild young mob, searching for a friend; and,
finding none, he stood firm, defying them all. There was something
splendid in his bearing that sent a thrill of admiration down
Courtland's spine as he watched, his habitual half-cynical smile of
amusement still lying unconsciously about his lips, while a new respect
for the country student was being born in his heart.

Pat, with a half-lowering of his bullet head, and a twisting of his ugly
jaw, came a step nearer and spoke again, a low word with a rumble like
the menace of a bull or a storm about to break.

With a sudden unexpected movement Stephen's arm shot forth and struck
the fellow in the jaw, reeling him half across the room into the crowd.

With a snarl like a stung animal Pat recov