ously for the exam. It's outside his work for the First
B.A.'

'What a shame!' Sidwell whispered to her mother; and the reply was a
look which eloquently expressed Mrs. Warricombe's lack of sympathy with
the victor.

But a second prize had been awarded. As soon as silence was restored,
the Principal's gracious voice delivered a summons to 'Buckland Martin
Warricombe.' A burst of acclamation, coming especially from that part
of the amphitheatre where Whitelaw's nurslings had gathered in greatest
numbers, seemed to declare the second prizeman distinctly more popular
than the first. Preferences of this kind are always to be remarked on
such occasions.

'Second prize be hanged!' growled the young man, as, with a flush of
shame on his ruddy countenance, he set forth to receive the honour,
leaving Mr. Warricombe convulsed with silent laughter.

'He would far rather have had nothing at all,' murmured Sidwell, who
shared her brother's pique and humiliation.

'Oh, it'll do him good,' was her father's reply. 'Buckland has got into
a way of swaggering.'

Undeniable was the swagger with which the good-looking, breezy lad went
and returned.

'What is the book?' inquired Mr. Warricombe.

'I don't know.--Oh, Mill's _Logic_. Idiotic choice! They might have
known I had it already.'

'They clap him far more than they did Mr. Peak,' Sidwell whispered to
her mother, with satisfaction.

Buckland kept silence for a few minutes, then muttered:

'There's nothing I care about now till Chemistry and Geology. Here
comes old Wotherspoon. Now we shall know who is strongest in second
aorists. I shouldn't wonder if Peak takes both Senior Greek and Latin.
I heartily hope he'll beat that ass Chilvers.'

But the name so offensive to young Warricombe was the first that issued
from the Professor's lips. Beginning with the competition for a special
classical prize, Professor Wotherspoon announced that the honours had
fallen to 'Bruno Leathwaite Chilvers.'

'That young man is not badly supplied with brains, say what you will,'
remarked Mr. Warricombe.

Upon Bruno Leathwaite Chilvers keen attention was directed; every pair
of female eyes studied his graces, and female hands had a great part in
the applause that greeted his arising. Applause different in kind from
that hitherto bestowed; less noisy, but implying, one felt, a more
delicate spirit of commendation. With perfect self-command, with
singular facial decorum, with a walk which beto