Chapter 24
The Alumni Dance
“I see the next Alumni affair will be a dance,” Don remarked, looking across the table to Jim, who was studying.
“Yes. Looking in the Bombardment, are you?” his brother replied.
“Sure. I guess that is the affair at which Colonel Morrell intends to clear George Long,” Don went on.
“It is. There will be a dinner and a dance and then the colonel will tell his story. It will be a pleasant evening for Long and his wife.”
“Goodness knows they have it coming to them,” mused Don. “I’d hate to go around for a number of years with a cloud like that hanging over me. If I met an old fellow student I’d have to be prepared to see suspicion showing in his face or even to meet with outspoken slighting. It has been a fearful burden and I’m glad that it is to be lifted soon.”
“So am I,” agreed Jim. “Mr. Long must think we have forgotten him, though. So many months have gone by since we went to see him about the matter. Here it is the last of February already.”
“Yes, time has passed rapidly. It won’t be long before the spring is at hand.”
“That was a terrible tongue-lashing that the colonel gave Gates the other night, wasn’t it?”
“Nothing more than he deserved,” retorted Don, promptly. “Just imagine, he wanted to pay the colonel to keep quiet and let Long go on with this blight on his good name! Just as the colonel said, if the whole thing had been some failing of the son’s in which he had injured no one but himself, why we’d all be glad to keep still and give the man a chance. But that particular type of outrage calls for extreme measures.”