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Show dU mM Z ' " . y OCTAVUS ROY COHEN isw-rtrrarwiiiirr' Convrleht bv OrtflVTjs Rov PnfiPn. WNU Fprv1-p. , inative youths and girls who were flattered by the friendship of this man of the world. Tony knew him. She knew him more thoroughly than anyone else on the campus. She knew that be was arrogant and weak and a poseur. This affair with Ivy Welch I Tony liked Ivy Welch. She was wholesome and genuine but, after all, she was only seventeen years of age, and to seventeen the first amorous palpitations of the heart are to be taken very seriously and not to be lightly Intruded upon. As Ivy herself would have expressed ex-pressed it, Pat Thayer had her running run-ning around In circles. She bitterly resented Tony and didn't care how quickly Tony knew it. "I still don't see where this Is any of your business." "It isn't exactly. . . ." "Then good-by. There's Just room in the Bower for two." "Get this. Ivy " Tony spoke rather more sharply than she Intended. In-tended. "I don't give a hang what Pat Thayer does. Right now I'm thinking of you." "That's a laugh." "I fancy," interrupted the man, "that she's really thinking about your brother Larry." Tony did not evade the challenge. chal-lenge. "Perhaps that's true, Pat" "You see, Ivy," he said, "she figures fig-ures that as a potential member of your family, it's up to her to protect pro-tect innocent you from villainous me." CHAPTER I 'l! 1 extf;Ay day is of outstanding im portance in the scholastic a:: of a southern college. It 51 ts definitely the end of a long witt. it comes quietly and unobtru-st' unobtru-st' ky, and students who on April 1, btieth have looked upon the se-be se-be er as never-ending are sudden-e sudden-e "fvakened to realization that in a 3S to. short time there will be an ex-and ex-and the great buildings will me mere hollow shells. ia I'd this May day was perfect. A iada;ant sun smiled down from an Thscked sky; spring flowers peeped bout;tiously from the hillsides; Alas'os of students lolled under the rea o: chatting Idly or not talking nada 1. It was a day for dreaming ; are tdly wandering thoughts, nore beve hundred students of both ani succumbed to the spell. Wor-were Wor-were dissipated. Spring had late to this Jewel-like campus ! Defrarland university In mld-Ala- wife .; but had atoned, In the glory ;lit i-i coming, for all Its tardiness, lad ter 0D tne hi a scant quarter sr, k Dey0nd the Bowl stood the cover;n'S dormitory, and lmmediate-e lmmediate-e sii:-f0re ( was a ac DUSt) tn radi- Pos')lossom. A girl stepped from l,!mihalhvay into the sunlight and ller ?d by the lilac bush. Then, with ssured deliberation of a senior, Droceeded to violate a college Bnti arip'toinette Peyton picked a spray ' hatiac, plucked the flower boldly, lotioeerent to any eyes which might iledir.d hpr Thon fihp fnzpfl nproRS fancied that she knew the voices . . . the girl's sweetly shrill answers. Then there was silence. Tony was of no mind to Interrupt a campus romance. Unless . . . She remained motionless for several sev-eral minutes; her face a study in worried concentration. Why didn't they speak again? She wished to be sure. She thought. . . . And then her doubt vanished. From behind the shelter of trees and vines came a man's voice; rich and soft and freighted with caresses. "Little sweetheart," he said, "you're the most bewitching thing I've ever seen." Tony's lips pressed to a firm, angry line. It was Pat Thayer all right; Pat making love, in bis suave, polished, deferentially superior supe-rior way to someone. Then the childish voice of Thay er's companion ; a voice which trem bled with eagerness of a first girlish girl-ish passion "Oh, Pat," said the girl, "you you're so wonderful !" Tony's face grew stern. She hesitated hes-itated ho longer. She circled the great oak tree and shoved aside the curtain of honeysuckle vines. The man met her eyes. But he continued to hold the girl tightly In his arms. He smiled sardonically sardon-ically at the intruder over the fluffy golden hair of his companion. "And who," he inquired with mocking politeness "Who invited you, Tony?" There was fierce hostility in the glance which passed between Tony Peyton and the tall, too-well- best for you to keep away from Pat Thayer." "Why? What's so terribly wrong with him? Or maybe you think I've never been kissed before. Is that It?" "No. If It was anyone else. . . ." "But it isn't, Tony. It's Pat. And I'm asking you why he's so dangerous. danger-ous. I'm trying to be nice, and It isn't very easy. The only thing I'll say Is this: If you can't tell me what you're hinting at, then I'll stick with Pat as long as he wants." Tony's eyes flickered to Thayer's sardonic face. "Why don't you do the decent thing, Pat? Why don't you call it off?" "Why should he?" inquired Ivy. Then she turned toward the man. "Tell me, Pat what is there between be-tween you two?" "Ask Tony," he repeated. "She'll tell you what she wishes you to know." Jealously, Ivy faced Tony Peyton. Pey-ton. She opened her lips to speak, and closed them again, for the expression ex-pression she saw on the face of the slender senior flashed a message that whatever might exist between Tony and Pat Thayer it certainly was not akin to love. Tony was staring straight at Pat and there was no mistakfng the loathing in her glance. Paterson Thayer was an outstanding out-standing figure at Marland university. univer-sity. He had entered as a junior the preceding year, and this was his final senior semester. He was twenty-three years of rringe-y, verdant valley toward the hen tt upon which were situated the ;mic buildings of the unlver- is "Slay Peyton was a pretty girl. " snMivas more than a pretty girl, own, ! was strength of character In nly toivid face with Its tiny, scarlet )n, bin and great, lustmus black Uioti She gave an impression of ous vitality. She touched the of lilac to her mouth and 3. She smiled Into the sprig, ' '' lie campus smiled hack at her. stared off across the tops of )lne trees toward the knoll . Jilcu the academic buildings j their Imposing forms. All of stern; red brick and white j ; nine of them standing like Ivy smiled with genuine amusement. amuse-ment. "Can you beat it?" she Inquired. In-quired. "Can you even tie it? Say, listen, Tony you don't really think I need protection, do you?" "Yes. From Pat Thrr-nr." "You know what, Tony? You give me a pain in the neck. What's it all about?" "Pat can explain," said Tony. "I didn't ask him. I asked you." "I'd rather not say anything." Ivy stamped her foot "You've got to say something. I have a right to know." "What right?" An incongruous sort of dignity settled about Ivy's girlish shoulders. "Pat and I are engaged," she announced. an-nounced. A light of genuine fear dawned in Tony's deep, black eyes. Her lips were without a smile; her expression ex-pression stern and accusing. She spoke directly to Thayer, Ignoring the girl. "Have you really gone that far, Pat?" "You heard what Ivy said." "I'm asking you." "Yes it's true." Tony walked very close to him. "You've got to cut it !" "Who says so?" "I do." "And what right have you to give orders?" "I have plenty of right. You know I have, Pat Thayer. You've got to quit this thing and . quit it quick. It was bad enough when 1 thought you were carrying on with a kid. But to let ber think she's engaged en-gaged to you. . . ." "Tony," broke In Ivy, and there was real distress in her voice, "I wish you'd tell me " "Oh 1 I could tell you plenty. This man is no good, Ivy. He's making a fool of you " Thayer's hand closed over Tony's arm. "Lay off !" he growled. "I've stood about all I'm going to stand." His manner was ugly and threatening, threat-ening, but Tony faced him defiant ly, her cheeks blazing. "You've got me started, Pat and I warn you I'll carry through if you don't call things off right here." "You haven't the nerve." "No? Try me and see." "I shall. And get this, Tony: You can't bluff me. You've tried it before, and it don't work. Just one thing I'll warn you: Don't you start anything unless you're prepared to go through with it" LUUIiitable sentinels about the Aysheal stadium which had been m(!(i':rted Into the Bowl. Marland TbB,'t a big college its total en-it en-it cK.ent wns less than twelve hun- antbeti'Hlt " wnS f,rolK'- lts earaPus it cor:iiellow with rich southern tra-jST tra-jST ; Its archives yielded records J.fcjjiiidergraduates who had gone aaajg the first bitter days of '61 to lieffcti.lie Confederate forces; in the eartbn!jf Old Main was its World war f honor. There were records, -'f graduates who had risen to ons of Importance In the y jj of science and art vlll perhaps the students at- fiotlfi ust a wee 1)11 t0 mucn ,m nee to the eminence recently wed by the Marland football jjgj'j.rack teams. Just a little bit I CisMu'c'1 ''iportonce . . . but this j fd,)ng Tony Peyton could under-pB;;'! under-pB;;'! that, because as she looked OA; Into the almost empty Bowl : jijjuw ,n ll(-'r mind's eye a picture &i had Impressed Itself Indel-iCLLupon Indel-iCLLupon her eighteen months be-5ijiwhen be-5ijiwhen Marland's greatest grid-team, grid-team, under the leadership of F Welch, had smashed and bat- Its way to a legitimate claim r e mythical national champion-r champion-r L' That had been a day; twenty -nnd fanatics gone wild In the P; n riot of color and a welter und. . 10 Ti;1-V E,nnco(1 nt ller wrlst watch sighed. Willi a conscious ef-in ef-in evi'she rid herself of the spell. $1 a quick, eager stride she 3d down the hill Into the val-' val-' I'hlch must be crossed before SSltfcould mount the other hill sslilll upon which the college PnKs stood. faM moved through the tiny val-andl'Sond val-andl'Sond thrown hack, sprig of lilac Eln her right hand, lips moving lly as she luiinnicd a popular kiljVl.v. The magic of the day WVipon her and she approached ' Lip"" w,tn a feeling of reluc s that the spell must be broken, jjljd then quite suddenly she " ed. Just before her was n oak tree. Tony knew that y0Ucular tree; It stood sentinel . tie:'e 0 forest nook affectionately i vt'n h-v R" students at Marland kU) ie Bower; a tiny, secluded spot jric'ered by giant trees, carpeted YoU violets and embowered In ,ht ir.vsnrkle. ievvsf''cs came to her from that ': voices of a man and a gin. IS Vs teeth pressed tight together oJa startled, worried expression ind rel into her eyes. She was anJ:ll -but she wasn't sure. t( man In yonder with a girl ling in that to dispel the glor lie day. It would have been d etaHer mr more wonder had thi-fer thi-fer been unoccupied. But she groomed young man. The fluffy little girl whom Pat had been cuddling cud-dling In his arms disentangled her-j her-j self and turned to face the Intruder. In-truder. There was an air about her which amounted tt defiance. Of embarrassment embar-rassment there was not a trace. Her wide-open blue eyes met Tony's squarely ; her trim little figure was taut with a sense of outrage and she made no secret of the fact that she was mad clear through. "Well," asked Ivy Welch sharply, "are we Intruding?" Tony paid no attention to Ivy. She spoke to the man. "Aren't you taking foolish chances, Pat?" she asked gravely. lie smiled and shrugged. "Why does that Interest you?" "You know perfectly well why It Interests me." "Jealous?" he mocked. Tony laughed. It was a short, bit ter laugh, and It stung. "Of you?" His face flushed. "You better run along. Tony," he advised, "and mind your own business." "1 shall. And I'll take Ivy with me." The younger girl stared Incredulously. Incred-ulously. "Take me with you?" she echoed. "What are you talking about?" "You'll understand some time Ivy," said Tony gently. "If you just believe me now " Ivy stamped her foot Impatiently. "Don't be silly, Tony. I'm not a child." "No-o. But you're only seventeen and " "And I'm getting older everyday. every-day. Now listen here; I'm trying not to get sore. But my friends are nobody's business." I "Yes they are. This time." I Ivy turned to Thayer, i "What's the big Idea?" she demanded. de-manded. "Ask her," suggested Pat. "It Isn't a very big Idea." said Tony. "And 1 can't explain, except to say that Pat understands what I'm driving at I'm asking you to take my word that It would be age. Hewas well over six feet in height ; with a slim, well-muscled figure. His manner was that of a man of the world. Vague stories had trailed Pat to the Marland campus. Rumor had it that he had been invited to resign from the two northern universities where he had done freshman and sophomore work. He hadn't been expelled exactly, but there were ugly stories having to do with certain cer-tain social activities which conscientious con-scientious student councils felt their colleges might well dispense with. He had never been a part of Marland. Mar-land. He bore himself with a certain cer-tain aloof dignity, as though the enthusiasms en-thusiasms and excitements of college col-lege life were for those younger and less experienced than himself. He dressed Immaculately and expensively, ex-pensively, but disdained the extremes ex-tremes of tailoring so popular with the campus youth of the day. He had been elected to Psi Tan Thetn at one of the other colleges and since arriving In the South had lived at the Psi Tan fraternity house. Apparently he had ample money, and in the classroom he experienced little difficulty. The professors felt that Pat Thayer was above the average av-erage student in worldly experience; experi-ence; they resented bis superior manner and his Insouciance, yet even those who detested him most heartily could not fail to give him excellent grades. His campus reputation was neither nei-ther savory nor downright bad. Certain of the students spoke of him as a wild one, but no one had ever caught him in the act of being wild. The result was that he was the ruler at a court of youngsters who made humble obeisance to his superior wisdom and experience, lie was mature yet it was a queer twist in the man's nature that he had little contact with his classmates. class-mates. They seemed to see him too clearly for his own peace of mind, and so lie contented himself with ihe blind idolatry of freshmen and sophomores immature, Imag- "I'll carry It through all right, Pat I've stood a good deal, but I'm not going to tolerate this. You've got this poor kid loco, and the sooner she knows what sort of rat you are, the sooner she'll come out of ber trance." His face was livid. Once again he grasped her arm. "That's enough I" "Take your hand away." "Are you going to butt out of here and slay out?" "Not until you promise me to keep away from Ivy." The man bent closer, until his face was on a level with Tony's. His gray eyes and her black ones clashed like drawn daggers. Ivy Welch, completely forcotten, stared at them nut understanding what it was all about, but knowing that something very terrible was hap pening. There was something be tween I'at Thayer and this girl; something which her Immarjre mind knew must be very tragic (TO EE CONTINTED.l |