If a man with a good moral character, a tolerably decent reputation for
good taste and respectability, no fool at his studies, no stain on his
name, should go with her, help her, get her to give up certain daring
things she had the name of doing--if such a fellow should give her the
protection of his friendship and let the world see that he considered
her respectable--wouldn't it help a lot? Wouldn't it stop people's
mouths and make them see that Gila wasn't what they had been saying,
after all?

It came to him that this would be a very pleasant mission, for his
leisure hours during the rest of that winter. All thought of any danger
to himself through such intercourse as he was suggesting to his thoughts
had departed from his mind.

Half a mile away Gila was pouring tea for two extremely ardent youths
who scarcely occupied half of her mind. With the other half she was
planning a little note which should bring Courtland to her side early in
the week. She had no thoughts of God. She was never troubled with much
pondering. She knew exactly what she wanted without thinking any further
about it, and she meant to have it.




CHAPTER V


It was a great source of question with Courtland afterward, just why it
should have been he that happened to carry that telegram over to the
West Dormitory to Wittemore, instead of any one of a dozen other fellows