Whispering Tongues

Loan. Some of the students said that he was ashamed to show himself; others that his father was keeping him pris

strong, and the disgrace which had fallen on him preyed sharply on his mind. He suffered

t vestige of his resentment. In all that had passed between them, Parmenter came to recogn

t last, finding that the sick man was not likely to be able to leave his r

y Afte

have some beggarly excuses for my conduct which I would like to tell to you pers

anxiety until the answer came. When the boy returned with the letter, he snatched it from his g

m satisfied. Only come and see me and let's get back on the old footing. Come t

know whether I could have brought myself to it or not. On second though

s away, and laughed, and read the letter again, and many times again. No pleasure that his

sweet June landscape. What a glorious day it wa

so rare as

er, come pe

es the earth if

softly her w

lower hall, hearing his cheery voice and seeing his radiant face,

foot-ball. Parmenter went over, and begged to be allowed to pla

at he was not in his usual condition. How he shouted and laughed at each brillian

nged manner, and said that for some unexpl

ollege songs for an hour in the good old fashion; and when he went to bed he s

examinations. The work of the term was finished, and the next week was to be given u

ng in the dewy perfumes as he went, feasting his eyes on sylvan sights, listening, with rapt ears, to the music

. He turned aside at once, and struck off in another direction. He did not care to revisit the scene of that night's foll

his way to breakfast, refreshed, vigorous, hopeful, with the sunshine of

e corner of South College a half-dozen more were talking to each other in subdue

did not dare to. He pushed on, with a sudden sinking of

riedly in the upper rooms. The hall door opened as he stood there; and Mr. Delavan, t

bout the same

oked at him

he replied, "of his

ily, backing up against a tree

um, set in last evening and rapidly exhausted him. He lie

will h

his knees were trembling, h

come at any moment. Here, take my arm. The news has u

he latest news from Charley. He sat on the terrace wall in a place where he could watch the Lee house. As oft

fe in his body paled and glowed alternat

ht of Doctor Park, hurrying along in front

arley?" he ask

n't tell. He is alive; we are making every eff

airs, across the campus, and over to the house where Charley lay. There were lights in the windows. He

t elm by the side of Professor Lee's gate, waiting

stars, he came down to the gate, and out on the walk, passing under the gas-lamp within five feet of Parmenter, an

Never before in his life had he seen such woe and hope expressed in a single countenance. Nev

, with double dealing, with conduct entirely at variance with the whole tenor

r fallacies, of their sophistries, of their baseless judgments, till they stood naked and shrinking before him; and then for

awn-flushed sky, more wise and more

a little hour by hour, and when night came again

that Van Loan's case would be taken up and disposed of. The feeling against him on account of his heartless exposure of Lee had be

man of the Senior class, was made chairman; and White,

fternoon of the seventeenth day of the present month, guilty of an offense un

language connected therewith Sophomore Alfred B.

s at Concord College are due to the said Parment

s it as their undivided opinion that the interests of all persons will be better served if the said Benj

a dissenting voice was heard. A committee of t

if he had made ready for a hasty flight. The committee on presentation of resolutions has never yet been a

st and quiet, Charley might recover. Thereupon Charley's classmates formed thems

es went about their duties on tiptoe and spoke in whispers. Nothing was left undone by any one on the hill to help forward

ung; the quiet of a peaceful Sunday reigned

age that the danger line in Charley's case had been passe

Lee, in spite of his last few months of ill beha

away. He had seen neither Charley nor Professor Lee; it was not possible to do so. But

nd into Professor Lee's simple honesty of character; and in the days of sober thought that followed he felt more and more how

g vacation. Both Charley's health and his father's demanded the change, and Mrs.

gn himself, plead guilty, and ask to be forgiven. He could not postpone that duty for a year, perhaps for two years longer; he fe

or Lee and Charley

or the East. He traveled a night and a day, and the next aftern

ere was no t

he servant at Professor Lee's house, when Parmen

sence of mind to ascertain that they were not to sail until the ne

t into a sleeping-car, but did not have his berth made up. He knew he could not sleep. His whole being had turned

into the Grand Central Station in New York Cit

lled to the cabman. "Don't waste a

r rough places and smooth. Parm

a sum of money that surprised and delighted him, and plunged at once into the shadows of th

persons in it weeping quietly; the edge of the pier was lined with men and wo

nd around his cap stood l

of Paris?" inquir

g to a majestic steamer in midstream, gay wi

ne?" gasped

e had," replied th

r staggered to an empty truck, sat down