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Show 4 The Professor's Way Ey AD SCHUSTER .;....-..j,.j..j,......;..j;....;;..;...;...j (CopyrlEht.) DROFESSOR LIXDERMAN ran tbe tips of his fingers through a sparse beard and eyed the large young student stu-dent before him. Jack Martin, wondering won-dering what was coining and fearing the worst, held his peace. Youth and man, there had been no love lost between be-tween theru, and neither had been unwilling un-willing to show it. Now It was the professor who smiled and stroked his beard and Jack Martin, football captain, cap-tain, who shifted his feet and waited. "It's no use pretending I like you," the professor said, "for I don't. Somehow Some-how he looked like n cat a cat playing play-ing with a mouse. Jack saw the light of wicked pleasure in the elder man's eyes and his heart sank. "It would be too bad now, wouldn't It If Jack Martin, football hero I believe they call you hero should be disqualilied on the eve of the big game." "I thought, sir, my work in your class was of passing grade." "You thought, yes, very interesting. I haven't quite decided upon your grade. You see, there is another little matter." The professor, pretending to dismiss the question of grades, looked up brightly. "A niece of mine has come, to live with me. She is new to the college and I wish to see that she Is properly introduced to the young people. There Is a dance, isn't there, the affair of the season on the night after the big game? It struck me now," and the professor put meaning into his glance, "that if she went to that dance with the captain of the team it would be a great help." For a moment Jack Martin was speechless. Old LInderman had put it as plainly as possible, short of a bald statement. Jack must take the niece to the dance or receive a poor mark in political science. As his anger an-ger rose he knew what he should tell this man and yet, there was the big game a few days off and the disgrace to the captain if he. were held ineligible. in-eligible. Three years' playing on the scrubs and first year had won him the place of captain, and this game was the most important thing in his college life. And old Linderman was bargaining bar-gaining with a girl and holding his happiness in hand." It seemed impossibly impos-sibly crude and yet, there sat the professor awaiting the reply. "If that's the only way, to get through your course," he answered slowly, "I accept. I've got to play in that game, and you know it." After the game as the professor had foreseen, Jack Martin, leader of the victorious team was the greatest hero in college. With him as escort, Lora Hammond, the professor's niece, was introduced triumphantly to the college community. It was all so unexpected and so gay yet the quiet girl found occasion for wonderment. It was wonderfully won-derfully good of this man to help her, n newcomer, as only he could, and yet she could not understand. "You must think a lot of uncle to do this," she said, "and yet do you know, he told me that after tonight I must have nothing whatever to do with you." Jack grinned. "Your uncle and I are well acquainted. And did he say anything more !" Lora blushed at the remembrance of a warning in which Jack had been called all that was reprehensible and Jack nodded knowingly. As the professor forbade him the house, the meetings of the two were confined to classroom and campus. When. Lora demanded an explanation and the professor told her the story of the bargain, she was so indignant she no longer recognized the football man. The puzzled Jack Martin figured it out and decide he had been treated as he deserved. He should have defied de-fied Linderman, risked his place on the team, and kept his self-respect. There was nothing left except to get his final marks and diploma. And then? Well, he would tell one professor pro-fessor a lot of tilings he had been storing In his mind. With his diploma In his pocket and still in his cap and gown the angry youth started to find Linderman, regretting re-gretting only that he would have to release his anger In words. Lora opened the door but It was not the Lora of the dance. She eyed him coldly as one would greet a stranger awaiting an explanation of his visit. "Lora," he began awkwardly, "your uncle he hntes me and I was on my way to tell him what I think of him. Yet, you know, I would not have met you otherwise and I've been thinking," he stumbled helplessly. "You've been thinking." "Thinking we might pet even. You know how he would hnte to have me for a nephew and, well, I'd love it . . ." And so, just to put even witli uncle, they ran away and got married. |