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faculty cannot give him the rudiments of an education； I will
send him to a college that can。 And I'll send my money where
I send Peter。〃
In reply Chancellor Black could have said that it was the
fault of the son and not of the college； he could have said
that where three men had failed to graduate one hundred and
eighty had not。 But did he say that？ Oh； no； he did not say
that！ He was not that sort of； a college president。 Instead；
he remained calm and sympathetic； and like a conspirator in a
comic opera glanced apprehensively round his； study。 He
lowered his voice。
〃There has been contemptible work here； 〃he whispered〃spite
and a mean spirit of reprisal。 I have been making a secret
investigation； and I find that this blow at your son and you；
and at the good name of our college was struck by one man； a
man with a grievanceDoctor Gilman。 Doctor Gilman has
repeatedly desired me to raise his salary。〃 This did not
happen to be true； but in such a crisis Dotor Black could not
afford to be too particular。
〃I have seen no reason for raising his salaryand there you
have the explanation。 In revenge he has made this attack。 But
he overshot his mark。 In causing us temporary embarrassment
he has brought about his own downfall。 I have already asked
for his resignation。〃
Every day in the week Hallowell was a fair； sane man； but on
this particular day he was wounded； his spirit was hurt； his
self…esteem humiliated。 He was in a state of mind to believe
anything rather than that his son was an idiot。
〃I don't want the man discharged；〃 he protested； 〃just
because Peter is lazy。 But if Doctor Gilman was moved by
personal considerations； if he sacrificed my Peter in order
to get even 。 。 。 。〃
〃That；〃 exclaimed Black in a horrified whisper； 〃is exactly
what he did！ Your generosity to the college is well known。
You are recognized all over America as its patron。 And he
believed that when I refused him an increase in salary it was
really you who refused itand he struck at you through your
son。 Everybody thinks so。 The college is on fire with
indignation。 And look at the mark he gave Peter！ Five！ That
in itself shows the malice。 Five is not a mark； it is an
insult！ No one； certainly not your brilliant sonlook how
brilliantly he managed the glee…club and foot…ball touris
stupid enough to deserve five。 No； Doctor Gilman went too
far。 And he has been justly punished！〃
What Hallowell senior was willing to believe of what the
chancellor told him； and his opinion of the matter as
expressed to Peter； differed materially。
〃They tell me；〃 he concluded； 〃that in the fall they will
give you another examination； and if you pass then； you will
get your degree。 No one will know you've got it。 They'll slip
it to you out of the side…door like a cold potato to a tramp。
The only thing people will know is that when your classmates
stood up and got their parchmentsthe thing they'd been
working for four years； the only reason for their going to
college at allYOU were not among those present。 That's your
fault； but if you don't get your degree next fall that will
be my fault。 I've supported you through college and you've
failed to deliver the goods。 Now you deliver them next fall；
or you can support yourself。〃
〃That will be all right；〃 said Peter humbly； 〃I'll pass next
fall。〃
〃I'm going to make sure of that；〃 said Hallowell senior。 〃To…
morrow you will take those history books that you did not
open； especially Gilman's 'Rise and Fall；' which it seems you
have not even purchased； and you will travel for the entire
summer with a private tutor 。 。 。 。〃
Peter； who had personally conducted the foot…ball and base…
ball teams over half of the Middle States and daily bullied
and browbeat them； protested with indignation。 〃WON'T travel
with a private tutor！〃
〃If I say so；〃 returned Hallowell senior grimly； 〃you'll
travel with a governess and a trained nurse； and wear a
strait jacket。 And you'll continue to wear it until you can
recite the history of Turkey backward。 And in order that you
may know it backwardand forward you will spend this summer
in Turkeyin Constantinopleuntil I send you permission to
come home。〃
〃Constantinople！〃 yelled Peter。 〃In August！ Are you serious？〃
〃 Do I look it？〃 asked Peter's father。 He did。
〃In Constantinople；〃 explained Mr。 Hallowell senior； 〃there
will be nothing to distract you from your studies； and in
spite of yourself every minute you will be imbibing history
and local color。〃
〃I'll be imbibing fever；〃； returned Peter； 〃and sunstroke and
sudden death。 If you want to get rid of me； why don't you
send me to the island where they sent Dreyfus？ It's quicker。
You don't have to go to Turkey to study about Turkey。〃
〃You do！〃 said his father。
Peter did not wait for the festivities of commencement week。
All day he hid in his room； packing his belongings or giving
them away to e members of his class； who came to tell him
what a rotten shame it was； and to bid him good…by。 They
loved Peter for himself alone； and at losing him were loyally
enraged。 They sired publicly to express their sentiments； and
to that end they planned a mock trial of the Rise and Fall；〃
at which a packed jury would sentence it to cremation。 They
planned also to hang Doctor Gilman in effigy。 The effigy with
a rope round its neck was even then awaiting mob violence。 It
was complete to the silver…white beard and the gold
spectacles。 But Peter squashed both demonstrations。 He did
not know Doctor Gilman had been forced to resign； but he
protested that the horse…play of his friends would make him
appear a bad loser。 〃It would look； boys；〃 he said； 〃as
though I couldn't take my medicine。 Looks like kicking
against the umpire's decision。 Old Gilman fought fair。 He
gave me just what was coming to me。 I think a darn sight more
of him than do of that bunch of boot…lickers that had the
colossal nerve to pretend I scored fifty！〃
Doctor Gilman sat in his cottage that stood the edge of the
campus； gazing at a plaster bust of Socrates which he did not
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。