ortest
words on such a silly thing.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Ellen. I really didn't understand."

And she went up to bed, thinking only of Falloden; while Alice followed
her, her small face pinched and weary, her girlish mind full of pain.

CHAPTER IV

On the day after the Vice-Chancellor's party, Falloden, after a somewhat
slack morning's work, lunched in college with Meyrick. After hall, the
quadrangle was filled with strolling men, hatless and smoking,
discussing the chances of the Eights, the last debate at the Union, and
the prospects of individual men in the schools.

Presently the sound of a piano was heard from the open windows of a room
on the first floor.

"Great Scott!" said Falloden irritably to Meyrick, with whom he was
walking arm in arm, "what a noise that fellow Radowitz makes! Why should
we have to listen to him? He behaves as though the whole college
belonged to him. We can't hear ourselves speak."

"Treat him like a barrel-organ and remove him!" said Meyrick, laughing.
He was a light-hearted, easy-going youth, a "fresher" in his first
summer term, devoted to Falloden, whose physical and intellectual powers
seemed to him amazing.

"Bombard him first!" said Falloden. "Who's got some soda-water
bottles?" And he beckoned imperiously to a neighbouring group of
men,--"bloods"--always ready to follow him in a "rag," and heroes
together with him of a couple of famous bonfires, in Falloden's
first year.

They came up, eager for any mischief, the summer weather in their veins
like wine. They stood round Falloden laughing and chaffing, till finally
three of them disappeared at his bidding. They came rushing back, from
various staircases, laden with soda-water bottles.

Then Falloden, with two henchmen, placed himself under Radowitz's
windows, and summoned the offender in a stentorian voice:

"Radowitz! stop that noise!"

No answer--except that Radowitz in discoursing some "music of the
future," and quite unaware of the shout from below, pounded and
tormented the piano more than ever. The waves of crashing sound seemed
to fill the quadrangle.

"We'll summon him thrice!" said Falloden. "Then--fire!"

But Radowitz remained deaf, and the assailant below gave the order.
Three strong right arms below discharged three soda-water bottles, which
went through the open window.

"My goody!" said Meyrick, "I hope he's well out of the way!" There was a
sound of breaking glass. Then Radowitz, furious, appeared