Hugo walked to the window and looked out into the thickened gloom. He had caught the worry, the repression, in Lefty’s voice. The youth, his merry blue eyes suddenly grave, his poised self abnormally disturbed, had suggested a criticism of some sort. What was it? Hugo was hurt and a little frightened. Would his college life be a repetition of Indian Creek? Would the athletes and the others in college of his own age fear and detest him—because he was superior? Was that what they meant? He did not know. He was loath to offend Lefty and Chuck. But there seemed no alternative to the risk. No one had talked to him in that way for a long time. He sat on his bed. “Fellows,” he said tersely, “I don’t think I know what you’re driving at. Will you tell me?”

The roommates fidgeted. They did not know exactly, either. They had come to fathom the abnormality in Hugo. Chuck lit a cigarette. Lefty smiled with an assumed ease. “Why—nothing, Danner. You see—well—I’m quarterback of the football team. And you’ll probably be on it this year—we haven’t adopted the new idea of keeping freshmen off the varsity. Just wanted to tell you those—well—those principles.”

Hugo knew he had not been answered. He felt, too, that he would never in his life give away his secret. The defences surrounding it had been too immutably fixed. His joy at knowing that he had been accepted so soon as a logical candidate for the football team was tempered by this questioning. “I have principles, fellows.”

“Good.” Lefty rose. “Guess we’ll be going. By the way, Woodie said you smashed a couple of track records to-day. Where’d you learn?”

“Nowhere.”

“How come, then?”

“Just—natural.”

Lefty summoned his will. “Sure it isn’t—well—unhealthy. Woodie says there are a couple of diseases that make you—well—get tough—like stone.”

Hugo realized the purpose of the visit. “Then—be sure I haven’t any diseases. My father had an M.D.” He smiled awkwardly. “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been stronger than most people. And I probably have a little edge still. Just an accident, that’s all. Is that what you were wondering about?”

Lefty smiled with instant relief. “Yes, it is. And I’m glad you take it that way. Listen—why don’t you come over to the Inn and take dinner with Chuck and me? Let commons go for to-night. What say?”