“I’d like to, if he will leave me alone.”
“He will,” said Ned positively. “We’ll attend to him.”
Whether or not it was due to the “attentions” of Ned and his friends, Dan was as pleased as he was surprised, as the days of the winter term passed, to find that Gus Kiggins seemed to avoid him. He seldom came to the room of Dan and Walter; and as for Walter, although he still was much in Gus’s company, he did not often have much to say to his roommate. Much as Dan would have liked to enter into Walter’s life more fully, he was too proud to betray his chagrin at the change which had now apparently become fixed in their relations. The old friendly feeling was gone and in its place had come a relation which simply made Walter apparently tolerate the presence in his rooms of the boy for whose coming he had been chiefly responsible.
The monotony of the routine of the winter term was broken in March by a visit from Mr. Borden. Dan, who had not been informed by Walter of the expected visit, was surprised one afternoon when he entered his room to find Mr. Borden seated there. His first thought was that Walter had sent for his father and a feeling of anger arose in Dan’s heart. Why had he himself not written before his roommate could complain? Perhaps Mr. Borden had come for the purpose of explaining that his promise was now void.
The greeting which Walter’s father gave him was so quietly cordial that Dan was perplexed. He was not able entirely to conceal his embarrassment even when Mr. Borden bade him to be seated. “When did you come, Mr. Borden?” Dan inquired.
“I arrived this morning,” replied the visitor quietly.
“Have you seen Walter?”
“Not yet.” Mr. Borden smiled as he saw Dan’s expression of surprise. “I had a few things to attend to first before I could give any time to Walter or you.”
“I’ll go out and find him for you,” said Dan, hastily rising as he spoke.