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see。 Since that morning he had ceased to sit in the chair of
history at Stillwater College。 They were retrenching； the
chancellor had told him curtly； cutting down unnecessary
expenses； for even in his anger Doctor Black was too
intelligent to hint at his real motive； and the professor was
far too innocent of evil； far too detached from college
politics to suspect。 He would remain a professor emeritus on
half pay； but he no longer would teach。 The college he had
served for thirty years…since it consisted of two brick
buildings and a faculty of ten young menno longer needed
him。 Even his ivy…covered cottage； in which his wife and he
had lived for twenty years； in which their one child had
died； would at the beginning of the next term be required of
him。 But the college would allow him those six months in
which to 〃look round。〃 So； just outside the circle of light
from his student lamp； he sat in his study； and stared with
unseeing eyes at the bust of Socrates。 He was not considering
ways and means。 They must be faced later。 He was considering
how he could possibly break the blow to his wife。 What
eviction from that house would mean to her no one but he
understood。 Since the day their little girl had died； nothing
in the room that had been her playroom； bedroom； and nursery
had been altered； nothing had been touched。 To his wife；
somewhere in the house that wonderful； God…given child was
still with them。 Not as a memory but as a real and living
presence。 When at night the professor and his wife sat at
either end of the study table； reading by the same lamp； he
would see her suddenly lift her head； alert and eager； as
though from the nursery floor a step had sounded； as though
from the darkness a sleepy voice had called her。 And when
they would be forced to move to lodgings in the town； to some
students' boarding…house； though they could take with them
their books； their furniture； their mutual love and
comradeship； they must leave behind them the haunting
presence of the child； the colored pictures she had cut from
the Christmas numbers and plastered over the nursery walls；
the rambler roses that with her own hands she had planted and
that now climbed to her window and each summer peered into
her empty room。
Outside Doctor Gilman's cottage； among the trees of the
campus； paper lanterns like oranges aglow were swaying in the
evening breeze。 In front of Hallowell the flame of a bonfire
shot to the top of the tallest elms； and gathered in a circle
round it the glee club sang； and cheer succeeded cheer…cheers
for the heroes of the cinder track； for the heroes of the
diamond and the gridiron ； cheers for the men who had flunked
especially for one man who had flunked。 But for that man who
for thirty years in the class room had served the college
there were no cheers。 No one remembered him； except the one
student who had best reason to remember him。 But this
recollection Peter had no rancor or bitterness and； still
anxious lest he should be considered a bad loser； he wished
Doctor Gilman a every one else to know that。 So when the
celebration was at its height and just before train was due
to carry him from Stillwater； ran across the campus to the
Gilman cottage say good…by。 But he did not enter the cottage
He went so far only as half…way up the garden walk。 In the
window of the study which opened upon the veranda he saw
through frame of honeysuckles the professor and wife standing
beside the study table。 They were clinging to each other； the
woman weep silently with her cheek on his shoulder； thin；
delicate； well…bred hands clasping arms； while the man
comforted her awkward unhappily； with hopeless； futile
caresses。
Peter； shocked and miserable at what he had seen； backed
steadily away。 What disaster had befallen the old couple he
could not imagine。 The idea that he himself might in any way
connected with their grief never entered mind。 He was certain
only that； whatever the trouble was； it was something so
intimate and personal that no mere outsider might dare to
offer his sympathy。 So on tiptoe he retreated down the garden
walk and； avoiding the celebration at the bonfire； returned
to his rooms。 An hour later the entire college escorted him
to the railroad station； and with 〃He's a jolly good fellow〃
and 〃He's off to Philippopolis in the morning〃 ringing in
his ears； he sank back his seat in the smoking…car and gazed
at the lights of Stillwater disappearing out of his life。 And
he was surprised to find that what lingered his mind was not
the students； dancing like Indians round the bonfire； or at
the steps of the smoking…car fighting to shake his hand； but
the man and woman alone in the cottage stricken with sudden
sorrow； standing like two children lost in the streets； who
cling to each other for comfort and at the same moment
whisper words of courage。
Two months Later； at Constantinople； Peter； was suffering
from remorse over neglected opportunities； from prickly heat；
and from fleas。 And it not been for the moving…picture man；
and the poker and baccarat at the Cercle Oriental； he would
have flung himself into the Bosphorus。 In the mornings with
the tutor he read ancient history； which he promptly forgot；
and for the rest of the hot； dreary day with the moving…
picture man through the bazaars and along the water…front he
stalked suspects for the camera。
The name of the moving…picture man was Harry Stetson。 He had
been a newspaper reporter； a press…agent； and an actor in
vaudeville and in a moving…picture company。 Now on his own
account he was preparing an illustrated lecture on the East；
adapted to churches and Sunday…schools。 Peter and he wrote it
in collaboration； and in the evenings rehearsed it with
lantern slides before an audience of the hotel clerk； the
tutor； and the German soldier of fortune who was trying to
sell the young Turks very old battleships。 Every other
foreigner had fled the city； and the entire diplomatic corps
had removed itself to the summer capital at Therapia。
There Stimson； the first secretary of the embassy and； in the
absence of the ambassador； CHARGE D'AFFAIRES； invited Peter
to become his guest。 Stimson was most anxious to be polite to
Peter； for Hallowell senior was a power in the party then in
office； and a word from him at Washington in favor of a
rising young diplomat would do no harm。 But Peter was afraid
his father would consider Therapia 〃out of bounds。〃
〃He sent me to Constantinople；〃 explained Peter； 〃and if he
thinks I'm not playing the game the Lord only knows where he
might send me next…and he might cut off my allowance。〃
In the matter of allowance Peter's father had been most
generous。 This was fortunate； for poker； as the pashas and
princes played it at he Cercle； was no game for cripples or
children。 But； owing to his letter…of…credit and his illspent
life； Peter was able to hold his own against men three times
his age and of fortunes nearly equal to that of his father。
Only they disposed of their wealth differently。 On many
hot evening Peter saw as much of their money scattered over
the green table as his father had spent over the Hallowell
athletic field。
In this fashion Peter spent his first month of exilein the
morning trying to fill his brain with names of great men who
had been a long time dead； and in his leisure hours with
local color。 To a youth of his active spirit it was a full
life without joy or recompense。 A Letter from Charley Hines；
a classmate who lived at Stillwater； which arrived after
Peter had endured six weeks of Constantinople； released him
from boredom and gave life a real interest。 It was a letter
full of gossip intended to amuse。 One paragraph failed of its
purpose。 It read： 〃Old man Gilman has got the sack。 The
chancellor offered him up as a sacrifice to your father； and
because he was unwise enough to flunk you。 He is to move out
in September。 I ran across them last week when I was looking
for rooms for a Freshman cousin。 They were reserving one in
the same boarding…house。 It's a shame； and I know you'll
agree。 They are a fine old couple； and I don't like to think
of them herding with Freshmen in a shine boardinghouse。 Black
always was a swine。〃
Peter spent fully ten minutes getting to the cable office。
〃Just learned；〃 he cabled his father； 〃Gilman dismissed
because flunked me consider this outrageous please see he
is reinstated。〃
The answer； which arrived the next day； did not satisfy
Peter。 It read： 〃Informed Gilman acted through spite have no
authority as you know to interfere any act of black。〃
Since Peter had learned of the disaster that through his
laziness had befallen the Gilmans； his indignation at the
injustice had been hourly increasing。 Nor had his banishment
to Constantinople strengthened his filial piety。 On the
contrary； it had rendered him independent and but little
inclined to kiss the paternal rod。 In consequence his next
cable was not conciliatory。
〃Dismissing Gilman Looks more Like we acted through spite
makes me appear contemptible Black is a toady will do as
you direct please reinstate。〃
To this somewhat peremptory message his father answered：
〃If your position