“It has been the custom here, of recent years, to give employment in this office to men who have needed the work, and preference has been given to athletes. If they have been paid more for their labor than that labor was really worth--and I am ready to grant that they usually have--the money with which they were paid has always come out of the general athletic fund and not from the college. I am not--ah--prepared to defend this custom; on the contrary, sir, I think it a very bad one, and I for one should be glad to see it discontinued. In your case, now, Mr. Stearns came and saw me and told me you needed employment. The place was vacant and I offered it to you at the terms which have always been paid. You are not earning one dollar an hour, Mr. Ware, and if you feel that you have been deceived by us, I am very sorry. No deception was intended on my part, and I am sure Mr. Stearns believed that you--er--understood the situation.” “I didn’t, though,” answered Allan, somewhat conciliated by the other’s manner. “I didn’t dream of it. I--I did think the work was rather easy considering the pay, but I thought maybe it would get harder, and that--that I could make up. If I had known the truth, I wouldn’t have had anything to do with the work.” “I am sorry, but, as I have said, there was no intent at deception. I offer you my apologies, and I am sure Mr. Stearns will be quite as regretful as I am. If there is anything I can do to better matters, I shall be delighted to do it, Mr. Ware.” “Yes, sir, there is. I’d like to keep on with the work until I have squared myself.” “You mean you want to work without wages?” Allan nodded. The professor considered the matter for a while in silence. Then-- “If you insist,” he said, “we will make that arrangement. But there is another method that may answer fully as well. Are you averse to continuing the work at--er--a just remuneration?” “N-no, I suppose not,” Allan replied. “I need the work, and if you’ll pay me only what it’s worth I’d like to go ahead with it.” “I’m glad to hear you say so, for you have been very conscientious, Mr. Ware, and your services in the office have become valuable to me. I should dislike to make a change. Supposing, then, you continue at--ah--fifty cents an hour? Would that be satisfactory?” “Is it worth that much?” asked Allan, bluntly. “Yes, it honestly is; it is worth quite that. Well, and in regard to--ah--let us say arrears; I am working on the compilation of a rather difficult lot of statistics which are to be incorporated into my report. You could assist me vastly with that matter and could work, say, an hour three evenings a week. In that way, it seems to me, you could very shortly ‘square’ yourself, as you term it, and could, to some extent, choose your own time for doing so. What do you--ah--think?”