At this point an aged man at the rear of the room rose, and clearing his throat asked in a dry, metallic cackle: "Am I to understand that the young gentleman is a member of a fraternity?"
It was quite apparent that no one appreciated clearly the significance of the old gentleman's question.
The dean stared inquiringly over his glasses at the assistant professor of history.
"He is not——"
"He is not," echoed the dean.
"Oh," cackled the old gentleman and sat down. His prejudice against fraternities was well known. Several of the younger men present, who wore their pins on occasion, glanced at one another and smiled.
"It would—oh—ah—seem to me," began the dean, when he was interrupted by that dry, metallic cackle a second time.
"Does he contemplate joining a fraternity?"
"No," Lowe shouted.
"Oh"—and the old gentleman sat down again.