The Red Cross Girl

n shudder and pass hurriedly on. But whatever others may have done, when young Peter Hallowell in his senior year came up for those final examinations which, should he pass the

new college, only one man has attained it. After graduating he "accepted a position" in an asylum for the insane, from which he was, promoted later to the poor-house, where he di

ollege knew that if Peter got in among the eggs he would be lucky, but the professors and instructors of Stillwater 'were determined that, no matter what young Hallowell might do to prevent it, they would see that he passed his examinations. And they constituted the jury of awards. Their interest in Peter was not because they loved him so much, but because eac

to those who possessed it. And if any three-thousand-dollar-a-year professor, through a too strict respect for Stillwater's standards of learning, should lose to that institution a half-mil

examinations, when on, the campus he met one of the faculty, he wou

s degree. Let us hope he will pull through." For four years every professor had been pulling Peter through, and the conscience of each had become calloused. They had only once more to shove him through

-books, "The Founders of Islam," and "The Rise and Fall of the Turkish Empire." This latter work, in five volumes, had been not unfavorably compared to Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire." The original newspaper c

d say-he always referred to it as "the" hi

so brief a period that it was as though the cl

e was Byzantium, skipped lightly over six centuries to Constantine, and in the last two Volumes finished up the Mohammeds with the downfall of the fourth one and the coming of Suleiman. Since Suleiman, Doctor Gilman did no

-book," said the chancellor, "I think th

him in mild reproach. "The war in the Crimea!" he exclaimed. "Wh

uch a man the son of Cyrus Hallowell was but an ignorant young savage, to whom "the" history certainly had been a closed book. And so when Peter returned his examination paper in a c

It was an awful business! The only son of the only Hallowell refused a degree in his father's own private college-the son of the man who had built the Hallowell Memorial, the new Laboratory, the Anna Hallowell Chapel, the Hallowell Dormitory, and the Hallowell Athletic Field. When on the bulletin board of the dim hall of the Memorial to his departed grandfather Peter read of his own di

"And if in four years you and your faculty cannot give him the rudiments of an educat

iled 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.

at this blow at your son and you, and at the good name of our college was struck by one man, a man with a grievance-Doctor Gilman. Doctor Gilman has

venge he has made this attack. But he overshot his mark. In causing us temporary embarr

day he was wounded, his spirit was hurt, his self-esteem humiliated. He was

Peter is lazy. But if Doctor Gilman was moved by personal con

lary it was really you who refused it-and 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

at the chancellor told him, and his opinion of the

o to a tramp. The only thing people will know is that when your classmates stood up and got their parchments-the thing they'd been working for four years, the only reason for their going to college at all-YOU were not among those

t," said Peter humbly;

tory books that you did not open, especially Gilman's 'Rise and Fall,' which it seems you h

ms over half of the Middle States and daily bullied and browbeat th

acket. And you'll continue to wear it until you can recite the history of Turkey backward. And in order that you may know

lled Peter. "In Augu

asked Peter's

be nothing to distract you from your studies, and in spite of you

you want to get rid of me, why don't you send me to the island where they sen

" said h

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 p

, 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

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 G

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 morn-ing" 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

ture 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

ted 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 th

uest. 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 a

e thinks I'm not playing the game the Lord only knows wher

n. 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 t

ved 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 flun

en minutes getting

an dismissed because flunked me consider th

Peter. It read: "Informed Gilman acted through spite hav

had been hourly increasing. Nor had his banishment to Constantinople strengthened his filial piety. On the contrary, it had r

ugh spite makes me appear contemptible Black is

eremptory message

ant yourself to blame not

and explained. Stetson reminded him of the famous cablegram of h

: "Gilman returns to Stillwate

was equall

gree or you earn

o deliver his ultimatum: "Choose to earn

les. Peter, who had come to like him very much, would have accompanied him h

an some souvenir of Turkey from me. Just to show him I've no hard feelings. He wouldn't accept money, but he can't refuse a pre

rew from his pocket a flat morocco case and opened

of green enamel and silver gilt. To it

Crescent," said Peter.

on. "You don't buy them.

n didn't bestow tha

n, "I've got something in m

slanting lines of curving Arabic letters in

when it says it in

stows upon Henry Stetson, educator, author, lecturer, the Star of the Ord

rupted him

on," he protested. "I'm a fakir mys

ustoms, industries, and religion of the Ottoman Empire. That," he explained, "refers to my-I should say our-moving-picture

oung friend with inc

demanded, "when you told them y

rinned. "They believed whate

he longest and dullest history of their flea-bitten empire that was ever written. And he's a real professor and a rea

es," said Stetson briskly, "

you tell the people often enough that anything is the best they believe you. That's the way father sells his hams. You've been a press-agent. From now on you're going to be my press-agent-I mean Doctor Gilman's press-agent. I pay your salary, but your work is to advertise him and the Order of the Crescent. I'll give you a letter to Charley Hines at Stillwater. He sends out college news to a syndicate and he

rned fiercely, memories of his triumphs in exploitation, of

ge of the publicity bureau for Galloway when he ran for governor. He thinks the people elected him. I know I did. Nora Nashville was getting fifty dollars a week in vaudeville when I took hold of her; now she gets a thousand. I ev

ter. "You must not get so despondent or you mig

h have y

has. When that's gone I've got to go to work and earn my living. Meanwhile your salary is a hundred a week and all you need to boost Gilman and the Ord

oduction to the man you want to bribe,"

Gilman the Order of the Crescent. Stetson presented Peter to a young effendi in a frock coat and fez. Stetson called him Osma

olar as Doctor Gilman had not received some recognition from the country he had so sympathetically described. Osman f

just as little chance of getting within speaking dist

ew of these decorations, just as each district leader gets his percentage of jobs in the street-cleaning department. This fellow will go to

hout knowing what he is signing; then you cable me, and the Star of the Crescent will bu

On the contrary, he found that the Order of the Crescent was pursuing him. He had not appreciated that, from underlings and backst

he Crescent of the fifth class, the same class that had been given Stetson. The fifth class, the fat man explained, was all very well for tradesmen, dragomans, and eunuchs, but as an honor for a savant as distinguished as the friend of

said Peter; "but I want the best and I

early visit from Stimson of the embassy.

forbids us to ask for one for ourselves, or for any one else. But what's the Constitution between friends? I'll get it for you at once-

ly that the diplomat demanded that he, too, should

ave the five volumes rebound in red and green, the colors of Mohammed, and with

," Peter a

to present them to his Imperial Majesty. He will promise to do so, but he won't; but he knows I know he won'

he third class. That will cost

to have the books rebound. And the THIRD class is a real honor of which any one might be proud. Yo

"and wear it longer round my neck What's the matter w

Stimson could no

ven only to reigning sovereigns. The second is called the Grand Cross, and is b

ng of world-wide fame?" said Peter. "He wil

ross of the Crescent, but not now. I'm sorry you're not satisfied," he added aggrievedly. "No one

eter, "nor for you. You get the third class for

He also regarded Abdul with wide-eyed awe, because he was the favorite nephew of the Sultan, and because he enjoyed the reputation of having the worst reputation in Turkey. Peter wondered why. He always had found Abdul charming, distinguished, courteous

r off a fresh pack, Peter pointed at the star of dia

hat that is?

d sunburst as though it annoyed

y upon men of world-wide fame. I dined to-night," he expl

told?" sa

all arranged. Your distinguished friend, the Sage of St

l fastened hungrily up

"can't some one ge

prince raised his eyebrows, and th

in all Turkey," he sai

prince gasped as though he had suddenly stepped bene

er me," he

if you liked!" whi

ot hear him. "I will t

nd francs in the pot, and all save Prince Abdul and Pet

w. Do you raise me or call?" The prince called an

hand, double or qui

d at the great heap of mother-of-pearl

is on the table," he said, "o

ince n

ad," sa

urs. Hoping to draw another king, which might give him a three higher than the three held by Abdul, he threw awa

him, spoke out of th

owe me a hundred and fifty thousand francs. I'll stake t

le of the table. But the puzzled glances of the other playe

e smiled

self?" he

r Gilman,"

e," said the prince. His voice dropped to a w

o could b

the Sultan

lf a very good hand. But the hand

n Doctor Henry Gilman, professor emeritus of the University of Stillwater, U. S. A., the

e cable caught him at Quarantine. It read:

tly opened from Constantinople. Prince Abdul, although pitchforked into the G

Arabic, and that it be placed in the national library. Moreover, the University of Constantinople, the College of Salonica, and the National Historical Society have each elected Doctor G

an a pen, told the people of the United States who Doctor Gilman was, who the Sultan was, what a Grand Cross was, and why America's greatest historian was not without honor save in his own country. Columns of this were paid for and appeared as "patent insides," with a portrait of Doctor Gilman taken from the STILLWATER COLLEGE ANNUAL, and a picture of the Grand Cross drawn from imagination, in eight hundred newspapers of the Middle, Western, and Eastern States. special articles, paragraphs, portraits, and pictures of the Grand Cross followed, and, using Stillwater as his base, Stetson continued to flood the country. Young Hines, the local correspondent, acting under instructions by cable from Peter, introduced him to Doctor Gilman as a traveller who lectured on Turkey, and one who was a humble admirer of the author of the "Rise and fall." Stetson, having studied it as a student crams an examination, begged that he might sit at the feet of the master. And for several evenings, actually at his feet, on

of his distinguished career. Never since he came to represent his imperial Majesty in the Western republic

o was also the proprietor of its largest department store, "is the pe

etson, "as though the Su

at we ought to show we appreciate this one, especially as he come

wed nervously

better do?

"has lived in Turkey, and he knows wh

?" begged

," said

ere half a dozen professors still in their homes around the campus, and it was pointed out to them that the coming honor

hey all agreed. So it came about that when the ambassador, hot and cross and dusty stepped off the way-train at Stillwater station he found to his delighted amazement a red carpet stretching to a perfectly new automobile, a company of the local militia presenting arms,

people who appreciated him and his high office. And as the mayor helped him into the automobile, and those students who lived in Stillwater welco

emembered he had never even heard of Doctor Gilman he blushed with confusion. And when he recollected that he had been almost on the point of refusing to come

cottage. And inside, the old professor, trembling and bewildered and yet strangely happy, bowed his shoulders while the ambassador slipped over them the broad green scarf and upon his only frock coat pinned the diamond sunburs

d his wife, he frightened and confused, she happy and proud, and taking it all as a matter of course, stood arm in arm in the frame of honeysuckles and bowed and bowed and bowed. And the ambassador so far unbent as to drink champagne, which appeared mysteriously in tubs of ice from

uld not let him show himself in Stillwater. They were afraid if all three conspirators fore

re had her president been so utterly and completely ignored. And what made it worse was that he recognized that even had he been present he could not have shown his face. How could he, who had, as every one connected with the college now knew, out of spite and without cause, dismissed an old and faithful servant,

elasquez it turns out to be a bad copy worth thirty dollars, but you pay a professor three thousand and he brings you in half a million dollars' wort

o one rid me of this pestilent fellow?" For the "Rise and Fall," in an edition deluxe limited to two hundred copies, was being bought up by all his book-collecting millionaire friends; a popular edition was on view in the windows of every book-shop; It was offered as a prize to subscribers to all the more sedate magazines, and the name and f

that seat of learning at a salary of five thousand dollars a year. Some of the honors that had been thrust u

ideration. He read the letter from the

t we still can walk past it; we can look into the garden and see the flowers she planted. We can visit the plac

r; but when he read that the small Eastern college at which Doctor Gilman had

er he wants, but make him promise for no consideration to leave Stillwater he is only membe

week he suffered acute mental indigestion. But little did Hallowell senior care for that. He had got what he wanted. Doctor Gilman, th

e picture-shops, all spoke of Doctor Gilman; and postcards showing the ivy-covered cottage, photographs and enlargements of Doctor Gilman, advertisements of the different editions of "the" history proclaimed his fame. Peter, fascinated by the success of his own handiwork, approac

had handed in his papers Doctor Gilman asked hi

deed!" Peter

five." In real sympathy the sage of Stillwater raised his eyes, but to his great astonishment he found that Peter, so far from bein

gently, "that this summer you did

d and picked

, "you're right I got working for something