The New Boy at Hilltop | Page 9

you poison, but he talked
sweetly enough. Still, maybe you'd better stay away; perhaps he's just
looking for a chance to quarrel."
Kenneth thought a minute. Then he turned toward the door.
"Going?" asked Joe.
"Yes."
"Well, if you're not back by six I'll head a rescue party."
Grafton Hyde roomed by himself on the third floor. His two rooms, on
the corner of the building, were somewhat elaborately furnished, as
befitted the apartments of "the richest fellow in school." He had chosen
the third floor because he was under surveillance less strict than were
the first and second floor boys. The teacher on the third floor was Mr.
Whipple and, as his rooms were at the other end of the hall and as he
paid little attention at best to his charges, Grafton did about as he
pleased. To-night there was no light shining through the transom when
Kenneth reached Number 21 and he decided that Grafton was out. But
he would make sure and so knocked at the door. To his surprise he was
told to come in. As he opened the door a chill draft swept by him, a
draft at once redolent of snow and of cigarette smoke. The room was in
complete darkness, but a form was outlined against one of the windows,
the lower sash of which was fully raised, and a tiny red spark glowed
there. Kenneth paused on the threshold.
"Who is it?" asked Grafton's voice.
"Garwood," was the reply. "Joe said you wanted me to look you up."
The spark suddenly dropped out of sight, evidently tossed through the

open window.
"Oh," said Grafton with a trace of embarrassment. "Er--wait a moment
and I'll light up."
"Don't bother," said Kenneth. "I can't stay but a minute. I just thought
I'd see what you wanted."
"Well, you'll find a chair there by the table," said Grafton, sinking back
on the window seat. "Much obliged to you for coming up."
There was a silence during which Kenneth found the chair and Grafton
pulled down the window. Then,
"Look here, Garwood," said Grafton, "you've got my place on the team,
I don't say you didn't get it fair and square, because you did. But I want
it. You know me pretty well and I guess you know I generally get what
I want. You're a pretty good sort, and you're a friend of Joe's, and I like
Joe, but I might make it mighty uncomfortable for you if I wanted to,
which I don't. I'll tell you what I'll do, Garwood. You get yourself back
on the second team and I'll make it right with you. If you need a little
money--"
"Is that all?" asked Kenneth, rising.
"Hold on! Don't get waxy! Wait till I explain. I'll give you twenty-five
dollars, Garwood. You can do a whole lot with twenty-five dollars.
And that's a mighty generous offer. All you've got to do is to play off
for a couple of days. Tomorrow you could be kind of sick and not able
to play. No one would think anything about it, and you can bet I
wouldn't breathe a word of it. What do you say?"
"I say you're a confounded cad!" cried Kenneth hotly.
"Oh, you do, eh? I haven't offered enough, I suppose!" sneered Grafton.
"I might have known that a fellow who would only give a dollar to the
teams would be a hard bargainer! Well, I'm not stingy; I'll call it thirty.
Now, what do you say?"

"When you get your place back it'll be by some other means than
buying it," said Kenneth contemptuously. He turned toward the door.
"You haven't got enough money to buy everything, you see; and--"
There was a sharp knock on the door.
"If you say anything about this," whispered Grafton hoarsely, "I'll--I'll--
Come in!"
"Who is here?" asked Mr. Whipple's voice as the door swung open.
"I, sir, and Garwood," answered Grafton.
"Ah! Garwood! And which one of you, may I ask, has been smoking
cigarettes?"
There was a moment's silence. Then,
"Nobody in here, sir," answered Grafton.
"That will do, Hyde. Don't attempt to shield him," said Mr. Whipple
coldly. "Light the gas, please."
Grafton slid off the window seat and groped toward where Kenneth
was standing.
"Yes, sir," he said, "as soon as I can find a match." He brushed heavily
against Kenneth.
"I beg your pardon, Garwood. I'm all turned around. Where--? Oh, here
they are." A match flared and Grafton lighted the droplight. Mr.
Whipple turned to Kenneth, a triumphant smile on his thin features.
"Well, what have you to say?" he asked.
"About what, sir!" inquired Kenneth.
"About smoking. You deny it, then."

"Yes."
"Ah! And what about this!" Mr. Whipple opened his hand and
displayed a portion of a cigarette