“Poor old Prof.  Craig!” Colburn laughed.  “He gets fifteen hundred a year.”

“Yes; I’d heard that myself, and I told Linski, and he said he had an uncle workin’ in a steel mill got twice that much; but it didn’t make any difference, ole Craig was bought by Wall Street.  He said ‘capitalism’ better look out; he and the foreign-born workmen were goin’ to take this country some day, and that was one of the reasons he was after an education.  He talked pretty strong pro-German, too—­about the war in Europe—­but I sort of thought that was more because he’d be pro-anything that he thought would help upset the United States than because he cared much about Germany.”

“Yes,” said Colburn, “that’s how he sounded to-night.  I guess there’s plenty more like him in the cities, too.  That reminds me, I’d better arrange a debate on immigration for the Lumen.  We’ll put Brother Milholland for the negative, this time.”

Ramsey started violently.  “See here—­”

But the senior reassured him.  “Just wanted to see you jump,” he explained.  “Don’t fear; you’ve done your share.”

“I should think I have!” Ramsey groaned.

“Yes, you won’t be called on again this term.  By the way,” said Colburn, thoughtfully, “that was a clever girl you had against you to-night.  I don’t believe in pacificism much, myself, but she used it very niftily for her argument.  Isn’t she from your town, this Miss Yocum?”

Fred nodded.

“Well, she’s a clever young thing,” said the senior, still thoughtful.  And he added:  “Graceful girl, she is.”

At this, the roommates looked at him with startled attention.  Ramsey was so roused as to forget his troubles and sit forward in his chair.

“Yes,” said the musing Colburn, “she’s a mighty pretty girl.”

“What!”

This exclamation was a simultaneous one; the astounded pair stared at him in blank incredulity.

“Why, don’t you think so?” Colburn mildly inquired.  “She seems to me very unusual looking.”

“Well, yes,” Fred assented, emphatically.  “We’re with you there!”

“Extraordinary eyes,” continued Colburn.  “Lovely figure, too; altogether a strikingly pretty girl.  Handsome, I should say, perhaps.  Yes, ‘handsome’ rather than ’pretty’.”  He looked up from a brief reverie.  “You fellows known her long?”

“You bet!” said Ramsey.

“She made a splendid impression on the Lumen,” Colburn went on.  “I don’t remember that I ever saw a first appearance there that quite equalled it.  She’ll probably have a brilliant career in the society, and in the university, too.  She must be a very fine sort of person.”  He deliberated within himself a few moments longer, then, realizing that his hosts and Brethren did not respond with any heartiness—­or with anything at all—­to the theme, he changed it, and asked them what they thought about the war in Europe.