Whispering Tongues

t had been so sudden and unexpected that it startled them all. Then a half-d

least, was in Van Loan's power. The Freshman had seen his face, and could prov

erious one. Bessick, one of the rash ones, whispered, "Let's hang him up by the

ou can't do anything but threaten. I thi

s. "I tell you, bribery is the only thing

that the conspirators could not go on with the hazing was plain. The life and fun had dropped suddenl

others followed to listen. Parmenter's face was pale, but wore no

the knowledge you have obtained here to-night. If you can assure us that you will keep it sacredly to yourself, I think you can trust us, and each of u

sed, and Van

ose to keep the knowledge I have obta

ill never reveal my identity, nor disclose to anybody a

that solem

ptors could ask no more of him than he had promised. The agreement

indfolded. They led him down the forest path, across the fields, and through the

hazers was in sight; and before he reached his bed the men who had dragg

k between the colleges. There was a nod of recognition on the part of each

ad been done, and that Van Loan was the victim of it; but who the hazers we

ed to Van Loan; there was nothing to indi

egan to feel relieved. The dread of discovery and consequent punishmen

rue he worked harder; but he went about his tasks with an anxio

heard with the utmost chagrin and sorrow that the hazing had occurred, and who spoke bit

on think I'd hang a man as haze him. That's what's hurting me, you see. I can't get over it. Fred, I'd give up every coll

or not, that he was responsible for Lee's participation in the ha

there was any law obliging you to take part

my backing out, you see I couldn't very well-Fred, forgive me! I didn't know how th

n! I'm the only one who's in danger, anyway, and I might as well shoulder the whole burden and have done

in the matter, and could not have any. A truce was patched up bet

a restraint that might have worn away in time, but which now

the work of the term, and especially to the tas

itting or walking alone, he imagined himself

h the evening costumes of the ladies, the air heavy with the fragrance of many flowers. All eyes

rilliant climax rolled like a wave of delight into his soul; and when, finally, he bowed and retired, there were the marked and ribboned bouquets falling in sweet showe

g triumph! To anticipate it, to see it all in imaginatio

rley Lee haunted him wherever he went. The old love for his fri

fort never succeeded. Though neither young man knew it, success lay only in a radical change of the conditions that surrounded them. Since they had be

imself to be the cause of it, still unable to banish it, it irritated him to such an extent that he avoide

, and by and by a new factor entered i

d tell how the information got abroad, nor could any one at first state the ground of the professor's opposi

ofessor Lee did not so much object to the fact

nd savagery, and would lower the moral tone of the college for a year; that hazing and rushing were the twin relics of college barbarism; and that since the first had

evealed the secrets of the committee-room to an upper classman, and that the matter had come out in that wa

r did Charley mention the subject to him. Indee

was one of the disappointed candidates for the prize stage. The

essick, "that he said jus

?" asked Parmenter. "Every man of the si

e professor, you know, nor Charley, nor anybody; and besides it may not be true. I hop

do you

able to compete with you, don't you? The prize lies be

Suppose there i

across the campus on his hands and knees to have his boy take that honor, wouldn't he? You know tha

ot, and he was sure Charley wouldn't; and Bessick, declaring that he had no personal fe

The more Parmenter thought about it and pondered over it, the mo

tended to increase his distrust of Professor Lee and his suspicion of Charley. Whispering to

work unearthing Parmenter's part in the hazing of Van Loan, and

eached Parmenter's ears Mr. Delavan,

rteously, "the president des

" asked P

on

I'll come

feeling a sudden weakness in his knees, resumed his

onfessed, or some one of the remaining twelve had broken his pledge. In whatever way it had come about, he felt sure that it was the resul

prehension as he entered the president's study, and fa

portly, dignified, sat

e informed that you participated in a hazing affair on the night of the twelfth of

ed a moment be

accuser?"

ty has preferred the c

ich member of

ee arose fr

" he said, "upon information deriv

tudent?" again in

y to give you his n

turned again t

to face," he said stoutly, determined to f

the president, calmly, "until we kno

he was justified in endeavoring to learn how much the faculty knew about the matt

rm. Of what specifications does

n their chairs, impatient at what they considered p

n the night of the twelfth of April last, masked and disguised; that you took Van Loan forcibly from his bed, bound, blindfolded and gagged him, and compelled him to accompa

ecome deeply earnest, and his face showed marks of great excitement. He

in years will so hurt us, and hinder us, and sap our moral strength, as this revival of one of the most cruel, brutal, and unmanly customs I have ever known. I do not hesita

t. As he resumed his seat his face was glowing, his eyes were flas

him like a blow. Never in his life before had any one dared to use such lan

ay-haired accuser the fact that his own son was no less guilty than he who stood there under a

nounced me with such force and bitterness, sin

breast at the supreme moment, and closed his lips. Whatever the

, with powerful effort, the tide of speech that had threatened to bre

ny the charg

hing to say in

thi

us. We thank you for your prompt atte

resident Mather bow