"If he should be convicted of murder in the first degree, that is the penalty," I said. "But he hasn't been tried yet, much less convicted."
"We didn't think on his birthday that he would go out like that," said Chapman, solemnly. "It's as Cicero says, even a young man cannot be sure on any day that he will live till nightfall."
I glanced at the book in his hand. His classical quotation was obviously new!
"Are you reading De Senectute?" I asked.
"I'm doing it in Latin,--yes, sir. This is an English translation which Mr. Garney lent me today to show me what a poor rendering I had made. This is translated by Andrew Peabody, and he makes it sound like English! Gene was doing it with me. I don't suppose we will ever do any more Latin together."
"Don't be too sure of that. You may both come to know more of Old Age, in Latin, in English, and in life, than you now guess. But I want to ask you another question. Do you know Benbow's associates or friends outside of the University?"
"What sort of associates?" asked Chapman, looking puzzled.
"Any sort,--good, bad or indifferent. Especially the bad and indifferent."
The young fellow looked offended. "Gene doesn't have associates of that kind," he said, indignantly.
"Nothing in his life to hide?"