where no one bore with any one else or laughed or agreed with or praised any one, unless he liked to; and where no one, man or girl, was afraid of any one else. But Jay noticed it this morning; for to-day he was taking upon himself a consequence of business—a consequence of Nucast's having held the business fate of others in his important hands.
"Cornell?" said Diblon to Mr. Polk. "Yes; I went there. My wife went to Wells."
"I'm from Dartmouth," announced Mr. Polk; and Jay almost shivered. These had been college people and not so long ago had sat as these others at the next tables, laughing at what they liked, joshing and calling down each other and being called down, fairly and freely. By God, something got them quick in business; and Jay Rountree was to leave college, where no one controlled his fate, and enter . . . business. That was sure; that was another meaning of going "through with it."
"Lyda; Leeda," he whispered to himself. Which way would he say it throughout his life? He must tell her, throughout his life, where he would be every day? Why no; most days they would be together—throughout his life. No use thinking of that now. A mile nearer each minute, was his father; and he would be wise to prepare exactly what he was to say to him.
Not that there would be difficulty in making his father believe that he had acted badly. It was the sort of thing his father was ready to believe of him. No; convincing his father would not be the difficulty. It lay within himself; it was his own rebellion, his own recoil from that which
