“It's setting a high goal and reaching it. It's taking the world by the throat and shaking from it whatever you want.” James leaned across the table, his eyes shining. “It's the journey's end for the strong, that's what it is. I don't care whether a man is gathering gilt or fame, he's got to pound away with his eye right on it. And he's got to trample down the things that get in his way.” Jeff's eye fell upon a book on the table. “Ever hear of a chap called Goldsmith?” “Of course. He wrote 'The School for Scandal.' What's he got to do with it?” Jeff smiled, without correcting his cousin. “I've been reading about him. Seems to have been a poor hack writer 'who threw away his life in handfuls.' He wrote the finest poem, the best novel, the most charming comedy of his day. He knew how to give, but he didn't know how to take. So he died alone in a garret. He was a failure.” “Probably his own fault.” “And on the day of his funeral the stairway was crowded with poor people he had helped. All of them were in tears.” “What good did that do him? He was inefficient. He might have saved his money and helped them then.” “Perhaps. I don't know. It might have been too late then. He chose to give his life as he was living it.” “Another reason for his poverty, wasn't there?” Jeff flushed. “He drank.” “Thought so.” James rose triumphantly and put on his overcoat. “Well, think over what I've said.” “I will. And tell the chancellor I'm much obliged to him for sending you.” For once the Senior was taken aback. “Eh, what--what?” “You may tell him it won't be your fault that I'll never be a credit to Verden University.” As he walked across the campus to his fraternity house James did not feel that his call had been wholly successful. With him he carried a picture of his cousin's thin satiric face in which big expressive eyes mocked his arguments. But he let none of this sense of futility get into the report given next day to the Chancellor. “Jeff's rather light-minded, I'm afraid, sir. He wanted to branch off to side lines. But I insisted on a serious talk. Before I left him he promised to think over what I had said.” “Let us hope he may.” “He said it wouldn't be my fault if he wasn't a credit to the University.” “We can all agree with him there, Farnum.” “Thank you, sir. I'm not very hopeful about him. He has other things to contend with.” “I'm not sure I quite know what you mean.” “I can't explain more fully without violating a confidence.” “Well, we'll hope for the best, and remember him in our prayers.” “Yes, sir,” James agreed. CHAPTER 4 “I met a hundred men on the road to Delhi, and they were all my brothers.”--Old Proverb. THE REBEL FLUNKS IN A COURSE ON HOW TO GET ON IN LIFE Part 1