“Just to think of it,” she cried, with shining eyes and flushed cheeks, though a little mischievous smile played over her red lips; “only six years ago I taught you your letters, and now you are almost at the top of the ladder! Oh, Geoffrey, I’m afraid you are very smart!” “Afraid, Gladys?” “Yes, and please don’t drive your chariot too fast, even now. Why, if you had had the opportunities that have fallen to my lot, you would have been so far above me by this time that I should never have dared so much as to lift my eyes to you,” the young girl returned with mock humility. He bent and looked earnestly into her eyes. “Gladys,” he cried, under his breath, “I am sometimes almost glad that I was cast adrift upon the world.” “Glad! Why, Geoff!” she exclaimed, astonished, and wondering at his intense mood. “You think that rather an extravagant statement,” he said, smiling, “but if my life had run along smoothly in my own home, like that of other boys, I might never have learned what mettle there was within me, and besides, I might never have known you—you who have been my good genius and my inspiration.” Gladys shot one startled glance up into those earnest eyes looking into hers, then her own quickly dropped, and a vivid scarlet shot up to her brow. Geoffrey had never spoken like this to her before, and the suppressed passion in his voice betrayed volumes. The unexpected glimpse of his heart set her own to beating with strange emotions. She had always been fond of him in a sort of tender, compassionate way, which of late had developed into something of pride for his smartness, and the character he exhibited; but she had never dreamed that she could ever learn to regard him other than as a dear friend or brother, or that he would ever entertain but fraternal affection for her. She was strangely affected by this discovery of a deeper sentiment. Geoffrey entered Yale the first of September, and began his four years’ course there with the greatest of enthusiasm. He had been hard at work at college a little over a week when, one evening, while he was deeply absorbed in the preparation of the morrow’s lessons, there came a quick, sharp rap upon his door. He glanced up as the door opened, and was astonished to see half a dozen fellows from the sophomore class enter and station themselves at different points in the room, while one, who appeared to be the leader of the company, slowly advanced toward him. In an instant it flashed upon Geoffrey that he was about to be subjected to that terror of all freshmen—hazing—it being before the days when the practice fell into such disfavor as at present. For a moment he was indignant at this intrusion; then he said to himself: “If they are not unreasonable I’ll make the best of it, and let them have their fun.” He arose from his table and turned to meet the young man approaching him, a genial smile on his handsome face.