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〃Well；　perhaps　not；〃　said　Larry　cheerfully；　〃but　they　always　get　over　it。〃

〃Oh；　do　they？〃　said　Jane。　　〃I　wonder。〃

And　again　she　rode　on　listening　in　silence　to　Larry's　chatter。

〃You　will　have　a　delightful　visit　at　Banff；　Jane。　　Do　you　know　Wakeham　is　going　to　motor　up？　　He　is　to　meet　his　father　there。　　He　asked　me　to　go　with　him；〃　and　as　he　spoke　Larry　glanced　at　her　face。

〃That　would　be　splendid　for　you；　Larry；〃　she　said；　〃but　you　couldn't　leave　them　at　home　with　all　the　work　going　on；　could　you？〃

〃No；〃　said　Larry　gloomily；　〃I　do　not　suppose　I　could。　　But　I　think　you　might　have　let　me　say　that。〃

〃But　it　is　true；　isn't　it；　Larry？〃　said　Jane。

〃Yes；　it's　true；　and　there's　no　use　talking　about　it；　and　so　I　told　him。　　But；〃　he　said；　cheering　up　again；　〃I　have　been　having　a　holiday　these　two　weeks　since　you　have　been　here。〃

〃I　know；〃　said　Jane　remorsefully；　〃we　must　have　cut　into　your　work　dreadfully。〃

〃Yes；　I　have　loafed　a　bit；　but　it　was　worth　while。　　What　a　jolly　time　we　have　had！　　At　least；　I　hope　you　have　had；　Jane。〃

〃You　don't　need　to　ask　me；　do　you；　Larry？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　You　are　so　dreadfully　secretive　as　to　your　feelings；　one　never　knows　about　you。〃

〃Now；　you　are　talking　nonsense；〃　replied　Jane　hotly。　　〃You　know　quite　well　that　I　have　enjoyed　every　minute　of　my　visit　here。〃

They　rode　in　silence　for　some　time；　then　Larry　said；　〃Jane；　you　are　the　best　chum　a　fellow　ever　had。　　You　never　expect　a　chap　to　pay　you　special　attention　or　make　love　to　you。　　There　is　none　of　that　sort　of　nonsense　about　you；　is　there？〃

〃No；　Larry；〃　said　Jane　simply；　but　she　kept　her　face　turned　away　from　him。



CHAPTER　XVIII

THE　VOICE　IN　THE　WILDERNESS


The　results　of　the　University　examinations　filled　three　sheets　of　the　Winnipeg　morning　papers。　　With　eager　eyes　and　anxious　hearts　hundreds　of　the　youth　of　Manitoba　and　the　other　western　provinces　scanned　these　lists。　　It　was　a　veritable　Day　of　Judgment；　a　day　of　glad　surprises　for　the　faithful　in　duty　and　the　humble　in　heart；　a　day　of　Nemesis　for　the　vainly　self…confident　slackers　who　had　grounded　their　hopes　upon　eleventh　hour　cramming　and　lucky　shots　in　exam　papers。　　There　were　triumphs　which　won　universal　approval；　others　which　received　grudging　praise。

Of　the　former；　none　of　those；　in　the　Junior　year　at　least；　gave　more　general　satisfaction　than　did　Jane　Brown's　in　the　winning　of　the　German　prize　over　Heinrich　Kellerman；　and　for　a　number　of　reasons。　　In　the　first　place　Jane　beat　the　German　in　his　own　language；　at　his　own　game；　so　to　speak。　　Then；　too；　Jane；　while　a　hard　student；　took　her　full　share　in　college　activities；　and　carried　through　these　such　a　spirit　of　generosity　and　fidelity　as　made　her　liked　and　admired　by　the　whole　body　of　the　students。　Kellerman；　on　the　other　hand；　was　of　that　species　of　student　known　as　a　pot…hunter；　who　took　no　interest　in　college　life；　but　devoted　himself　solely　to　the　business　of　getting　for　himself　everything　that　the　college　had　to　offer。

Perhaps　Jane　alone；　of　his　fellow　students；　gave　a　single　thought　to　the　disappointment　of　the　little　Jew。　　She　alone　knew　how　keenly　he　had　striven　for　the　prize；　and　how　surely　he　had　counted　upon　winning　it。　　She　had　the　feeling；　too；　that　somehow　the　class　lists　did　not　represent　the　relative　scholarship　of　the　Jew　and　herself。　He　knew　more　German　than　she。　　It　was　this　feeling　that　prompted　her　to　write　him　a　note　which　brought　an　answer　in　formal　and　stilted　English。

〃Dear　Miss　Brown；〃　the　answer　ran；　〃I　thank　you　for　your　beautiful　note；　which　is　so　much　like　yourself　that　in　reading　it　I　could　see　your　smile；　which　so　constantly　characterises　you　to　all　your　friends。　　I　confess　to　disappointment；　but　the　disappointment　is　largely　mitigated　by　the　knowledge　that　the　prize　which　I　failed　to　acquire　went　to　one　who　is　so　worthy　of　it；　and　for　whom　I　cherish　the　emotions　of　profound　esteem　and　good　will。　　Your　devoted　and　disappointed　rival；　Heinrich　Kellerman。〃

〃Rather　sporting　of　him；　isn't　it？〃　said　Jane　to　her　friend　Ethel　Murray；　who　had　come　to　dinner。

〃Sporting？〃　said　Ethel。　　〃It　is　the　last　thing　I　would　have　said　about　Kellerman。〃

〃That　is　the　worst　of　prizes；〃　said　Jane；　〃some　one　has　to　lose。〃

〃Just　the　way　I　feel　about　Mr。　MacLean；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃He　ought　to　have　had　the　medal　and　not　I。　　He　knows　more　philosophy　in　a　minute　than　I　in　a　week。〃

〃Oh；　I　wouldn't　say　that；〃　said　Jane　judicially。　　〃And　though　I　am　awfully　glad　you　got　it；　Ethel；　I　am　sorry　for　Mr。　MacLean。　　You　know　he　is　working　his　way　through　college；　and　has　to　keep　up　a　mission　through　the　term。　　He　is　a　good　man。〃

〃Yes；　he　is　good；　a　little　too　good；〃　said　Ethel；　making　a　little　face。　　〃Isn't　it　splendid　about　Larry　Gwynne　getting　the　Proficiency；　and　the　first　in　Engineering？　　Now　he　is　what　I　call　a　sport。　　Of　course　he　doesn't　go　in　for　games　much；　but　he's　into　everything；　the　Lit。；　the　Dramatic　Society；　and　Scuddy　says　he　helped　him　tremendously　with　the　Senior　class　in　the　Y。　M。　C。　A。　work。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Jane；　〃and　the　Register　told　Papa　that　the　University　had　never　graduated　such　a　brilliant　student。　　And　Ramsay　Dunn　told　me　that　he　just　ran　the　Athletic　Association　and　was　really　responsible　for　the　winning　of　the　track　team。〃

〃What　a　pity　about　Ramsay　Dunn；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃He　just　managed　to　scrape　through。　　Do　you　know；　the　boys　say　he　kept　himself　up　mostly　on　whiskey…and…sodas　through　the　exams。　　He　must　be　awfully　clever；　and　he　is　so　good…looking。〃

〃Poor　Ramsay；〃　said　Jane；　〃he　has　not　had　a　very　good　chance。　　I　mean；　he　has　too　much　money。　　He　is　coming　to　dinner　to…night；　Ethel；　and　Frank　Smart；　too。〃

〃Oh；　Frank　Smart！　　They　say　he　is　doing　awfully　well。　　Father　says　he　is　one　of　the　coming　men　in　his　profession。　　He　is　a　great　friend　of　yours；　isn't　he；　Jane？〃　said　Ethel；　with　a　meaning　smile。

〃We　have　known　him　a　long　time；〃　said　Jane；　ignoring　the　smile。　〃We　think　a　great　deal　of　him。〃

〃When　have　you　seen　Larry？〃　enquired　Ethel。　　〃He　comes　here　a　lot；　doesn't　he？〃

〃Yes。　　He　says　this　is　his　Winnipeg　home。　　I　haven't　seen　him　all　to…day。〃

〃You　don't　mean　to　tell　me！〃　exclaimed　Ethel。

〃I　mean　I　haven't　seen　him　to　congratulate　him　on　his　medal。　　His　mother　will　be　so　glad。〃

〃You　know　his　people；　don't　you？　　Tell　me　about　them。　　You　see；　I　may　as　well　confess　to　you　that　I　have　a　fearful　crush　on　Larry。〃

〃I　know；〃　said　Jane　sympathetically。

〃But；〃　continued　Ethel；　〃he　is　awfully　difficult。　　His　people　are　ranching；　aren't　they？　　And　poor；　I　understand。〃

〃Yes；　they　are　ranching；〃　said　Jane；　〃and　Larry　has　had　quite　a　hard　time　getting　through。　　I　had　a　lovely　visit　last　fall　with　them。〃

〃Oh；　tell　me　about　it！〃　exclaimed　Ethel。　　〃I　heard　a　little；　you　know；　from　Larry。〃

For　half　an　hour　Jane　dilated　on　her　western　visit　to　the　Lakeside　Farm。

〃Oh；　you　lucky　girl！〃　cried　Ethel。　　〃What　a　chance　you　had！　　To　think　of　it！　　Three　weeks；　lonely　rides；　moonlight；　and　not　a　soul　to　butt　in！　　Oh；　Jane！　　I　only　wish　I　had　had　such　a　chance！　　Did　nothing　happen；　Jane？　　Oh；　come　on　now；　you　are　too　awfully　oysteresque。　　Didn't　he　come　across　at　all？〃

Jane's　face　glowed　a　dull　red；　but　she　made　no　pretence　of　failing　to　understand　Ethel's　meaning。　　〃Oh；　there　is　no　nonsense　of　that　kind　with　Larry；〃　she　said。　　〃We　are　just　good　friends。〃

〃Good　friends！〃　exclaimed　Ethel　indignantly。　　〃That's　just　where　he　is　so　awfully　maddening。　　I　can't　understand　him。　　He　has　lots　of　red　blood；　and　he　is　a　sport；　too。　　But　somehow　he　never　knows　a　girl　from　her　brother。　　He　treats　me　just　the　way　he　treats　Bruce　and　Leslie。　　I　often　wonder　what　he　would　do　if　I　kissed　him。　　I've　tried　squeezing　his　hand。〃

〃Have　you？〃　said　Jane；　with　a　delighted　laugh。　　〃What　did　he　do？〃

〃Why；　he　never　knew　it。　　I　could　have　killed　him；〃　said　Ethel　in　disgust。

〃He　is　going　away　to　Chicago；〃　said　Jane　abruptly；　〃to　your　friends；　the　Wakehams。　　Mr。　Wakeham　is　in　mines；　as　you　know。　Larry　is　to　get　two　thousand　dollars　to　begin　with。　　It　is　a　good　position；　and　I　am　glad　for　him。　　Oh；　there　I　see　Mr。　MacLean　and　Frank　Smart　coming　in。〃

When　the　party　had　settled　down　they　discussed　the　Class　lists　and　prize　winners　till　Dr。　Brown　appeared。

〃Shall　we　have　dinner　soon；　Jane？〃　he　said　as　she　welcomed　him。　　〃I　wish　to　get　through　with　my　work　early　so　as　to　take　in　the　big　political　meeting　this　evening。　　Mr。　Allen　is　to　speak　and　there　is　sure　to　be　a　crowd。〃

〃I　shall　have　it　served　at　once；　Papa。　　Larry　is　coming；　but　we　won't　wait　for　him。〃

They　were　half　through　dinner　before　Larry　appeared。　　He　came　in　looking　worn；　pale　and　thinner　even　than　usual。　　But　there　was　a　gleam　in　his　eye　and　an　energy　in　his　movements　that　indicated　sound　and　vigorous　health。

〃You　are　not　late；　Larry；〃　said　Jane；　〃we　are　early。　　Papa　is　going　to　the　political　meeting。〃

〃Good！〃　cried　Larry。　　〃So　am　I。　　You　are　going；　Frank；　and　you；　MacLean？〃

〃I　don't　know　yet；〃　said　MacLean。

〃We　are　all　due　at　Mrs。　Allen's；　Larry；　you　remember。　　It　is　a　party　for　the　Graduating　Class；　too；〃　said　Jane。

〃So　we　are。　　But　we　can　take　in　the　political　meeting　first；　eh；　Mac？〃

But　MacLean　glanced　doubtfully　at　Ethel。

〃I　have　just　had　a　go　with　Holtzman；〃　sa