was a well dressed handsome young fellow, and was prominent in college chiefly because of his success in athletics, for already he had the reputation of being one of the swiftest runners in college.  But in the college vernacular he was commonly referred to as a “sport,” a term for which Will instinctively had little liking, and less for the young man himself.  However, he had found it difficult to avoid him, and somewhat reluctantly he had consented to take the long walk to a distant village with him on the day to which reference has been made.

For a time after the two young men had departed from Winthrop, and had made their way up the road that led along the steep hillside, the exhilaration of the bracing air and the superb view had made Will keenly alive to the beauties of the surrounding region.  A soft halo covered the summits of the lofty hills, and the quiet of the valley was almost as impressive as the framework of the mountains.  Mott too had been exceedingly pleasant in all that he had said, and Will was almost beginning to feel that he had misjudged his companion, and that his reputation was worse than the fellow himself.

They had now left the hillside road and were once more in the valley and not far from the village they were seeking.

“I hear you’re quite a fair sprinter,” suggested Mott, as they proceeded.

“I do a little,” assented Will, laughing lightly as he spoke.

“Where did you run?”

“On the high school team.”

“What high school?”

“Sterling.”

“Run against the other schools in the league?”

“Yes,” replied Will, wondering how it was that Mott happened to know of the existence of the league.

“How did you come out?”

“Oh, I happened to win.  There wasn’t very much to run against, you see.”

“What time did you make?”

“Ten, two.”

“Going to run here?”

“Going to try to.”

“I find this taking long walks is good for me,” said Mott.  “It keeps my muscles in trim and gives me wind.”

This, then, was the object which Mott had in view in inviting him to take the walk, Will hastily concluded.  He wanted to find out all he could learn about his ability as a runner, and in spite of himself Will was flattered by the evident interest and attention.  They were now within the confines of the village, and excusing himself for a moment Mott left Will, but when he returned it was evident from the odor about him that the sophomore had been to some speakeasy.  Will had known of Mott’s habits, and the fact that he had left him and gone alone to secure his drink argued that the fellow was not altogether bad.

There was not a long delay in the village, and the return by a different road from that by which they had come was suggested by Mott, and Will had acquiesced.  They had not gone far, however, before Mott discovered a farmer approaching with a team and a heavy but empty farm wagon, and quickly suggested that they should ride, and as Will at once agreed, his companion hailed the passing man.