Tom Slade with the Colors | Page 6

a lively interest in Miss Ellison, and Tom envied
him his easy manner and his faculty for entertaining her and making
her laugh.
On the morning of this day, however, when he had come up for his
clandestine smoke, he had manifested much curiosity about the camp,
looking over the maps and pictures and asking many questions.

Tom had felt highly flattered.
CHAPTER III
ROSCOE BENT
Indeed, Tom had felt so highly flattered that the memory of young Mr.
Roscoe Bent's condescension had lingered with him all day, and now
he was going to give himself the pleasure of walking through
Rockwood Place for a passing glimpse of the beautiful house wherein
young Roscoe resided.
Tom knew well enough that Roscoe had to thank the friendship
between his father and Mr. Temple for his position in the bank. In his
heart he knew that there was not much to be said for Roscoe; that he
could do many things which Roscoe couldn't begin to do; but Roscoe
on the other hand could do all those little things which poor Tom never
could master; he could joke and make people laugh, and he always
knew what to say and how to say it--especially to girls.
Tom's long trousers had not brought him this accomplishment, and in
his clumsiness of speech and manner he envied this sprightly youth
who had become so much of a celebrity in his thoughts that he actually
took a certain pleasure in walking past the Bent residence just because
it was where Roscoe and his well-to-do parents lived.
He was a little ashamed of doing this, just as he was ashamed of his
admiration for Roscoe, and he knew that neither Roscoe, with his fine
airs, nor Roscoe's home would have had any attractions for Roy at all.
But then Roy's father was rich, whereas Tom's father had been poor,
and he had come out of the slums and in some ways he would never
change.
"He isn't so bad, anyway," Tom muttered to himself, as he kicked
another stone along. "I knew he'd be really interested some day. Any
feller's got to be interested in a camp like that. If he only went there
once, he'd see what it was like and he'd fall for it, all right. I bet in the
summer he goes to places where they dance and bow, and all that, but

he'd fall for Temple Camp if he ever went there--he would."
Tom was greatly elated at Roscoe's sudden interest, and he believed
that great things would come of it.
"If he could only once see that shack up on the mountain," he said to
himself, "and make that climb, I bet he'd knock off his cigarettes. If he
thought those pictures were good--gee, what would he think of the
shack itself!"
When he reached the Bent house he was surprised to see an automobile
standing directly in front of it which he had not noticed as he
approached because its lights were out. Not even the little red light
which should have illuminated the car's number was visible, nor was
there a single light either in the entrance hall or in any of the windows
of the big house.
In the car sat a dark figure in the chauffeur's place, and Tom, as he
passed, fancied that this person turned away from him. He was rather
surprised, and perhaps a little curious, for he knew that the Bents did
not keep a car, and he thought that if the presence of the machine meant
visitors, or a doctor, there would be some light in the house.
Reaching the corner, he looked back just in time to see another figure,
carrying luggage, descend the steps and enter the car. He was still close
enough to know that not a word was spoken nor a sound made; there
was not even the familiar and usual bang of the automobile door. But a
certain characteristic swing of the person with the luggage, as he passed
one bag and then the other into the car, showed Tom that the figure was
that of young Roscoe Bent. Then the car rolled away, leaving him
gaping and speculating in the concealment of a doorway near the
corner.
"I wonder where he can be going this time of night," Tom mused. "Gee,
that was funny! If he was going on a vacation or anything like that, he'd
have said so this morning--and he'd have said good-bye to me. Anyway,
he'd have said good-bye to Miss Ellison...."

Tom boarded with a private family in Culver Street, and after he
reached home he sat up in his room for a while working with a kind of
sullen resignation on the few registration badges which had still to have
pins attached to them.