talk of school loyalty seemed a string of empty, shallow words.
He brooded the matter all the way home. The evening newspaper lay on the front porch flung there by the carrier as he passed. Praska carefully strove to undo it without tearing, from the mysterious, tight-binding fold which carriers somehow achieve; then he smoothed out the front page, his hands moving absently. And there, for the second time that afternoon, his eyes were caught by words for which he had not looked. One quick survey of the headlines, and he started feverishly to read the story:
According to rumors, graduates of the Northfield High School are raising a fund that will be used in some way for student advancement. According to one report the graduates, in celebration of the athletic field victory, will donate the money to the school as a fund for the support of athletics.
B. B. Ballinger, the real estate man, is said to be the largest contributor. His profits on the land he owns which the town will buy as part of the athletic field site, will run about $1500. It is reported that Mr. Ballinger has already turned this sum over to Carlos Dix, who is acting as treasurer of the fund. Mr. Dix declined to-day to deny or affirm the rumors.
Praska lowered the newspaper and leaned
