“It's as pretty as paradise,” he said, simply. “There's nothing like our Kansas prairies.”
“You come from the plains out west, I hear. How long do you plan to stay here, Burleigh?” Dr. Fenneben asked.
“Four years if I can make it go. I've got a little schooling and I know how to herd cattle. I need more than this, if I am only a country boy.”
“Who pays for your schooling, yourself, or your father?” Fenneben queried.
“I have no father nor mother now.”
“You are willing to work four years to get a diploma from Sunrise? It is hard work; all the harder if you have not had much schooling before it.”
“I'm willing to work, and I'd like to have the diploma for it,” Vic answered.
“Burleigh, did you notice the letter S carved in the stone above the door?”
“Yes, sir; I suppose it stands for Sunrise?”
“It does. But with the years it will take on new meanings for you. When you have learned all these meanings you will be ready for your diploma—and more. You will be far on your way to the winning of a Master's Degree.”