and crawl into your shell till the storm has pelted past."

Half an hour later Jeff met his cousin near the chapel and was taken to
task.

"What's this I hear about your insulting Thomas?"

"You have it wrong. He insulted me," Jeff corrected with a smile.

"Tommyrot! Why couldn't you treat him right?"

"Didn't like to throw him through the window on account of littering up
the lawn with broken glass."

James K.'s handsome square-cut face did not relax to a smile. "You may
think this a joke, but I don't. I've heard the Chancellor is going to
call you on the carpet."

"If he does he'll learn what I think."

The upper classman's anger boiled over. "You might think of me a
little."

"Didn't know you were in this, J. K."

"They know I'm your cousin. It's hurting my reputation."

A faint ironic smile touched Jeff's face. "No, James, I'm helping it.
Ever notice how blondes and brunettes chum together. Value of contrasts,
you see. I'm a moral brunette. You're a shining example of all a man
should be. I simply emphasize your greatness."

"That's not the way it works," his cousin grumbled.

"That's just how it works. Best thing that could happen to you would be
for me to get expelled. Shall I?"

Jeff offered his suggestion debonairly.

"Of course not."

"It would give you just the touch of halo you need to finish the
picture. Think of it: your noble head bowed in grief because of the
unworthy relative you had labored so hard to save; the sympathy of the
faculty, the respect of the fellows, the shy adoration of the co-eds.
Great Brutus bowed by the sorrow of a strong man's unrepining emotion.
By Jove, I ought to give you the chance. You'd look the part to
admiration."

For a moment James saw himself in the role and coveted it. Jeff read his
thought, and his laughter brought his cousin back to earth. He had the
irritated sense of having been caught.

"It's not an occasion for talking nonsense," he said coldly.

Jeff sensed his disgrace in the stiff politeness of the professors and
in the embarrassed aloofness of his classmates. Some of the men frankly
gave him a wide berth as if he had been a moral pervert.

His temperament was sensitive to slights and he fell into one of his
rare depressions. One afternoon he took the car for the city. He wanted
to get away from himself and from his environment.

A chill mist was in the air. Drawn by the bright lights, Jeff entered
a saloon and sat down in an alcove wi