"campus engagements" which led to far more "petting" and physical contacts than Alice and Dave ever permitted themselves. Theirs had been—or had been believed to be—one of those fine friendships between boy and girl which naturally mature to the most beautiful and happiest of marriages such as are forever the glory of each class of girls and boys who have gone through college together.
Betrayal of this was not merely a hurt to Alice but partook of the nature of an offense to many. Naturally, Dave felt the criticism of Alice's friends and particularly of those who disliked Fidelia. He had expected that; but he had not prepared himself for other currents which ran against him. He became self-conscious even among his own fraternity brothers and in his own room with Lan; in fact, he was especially self-conscious with Lan; for he had betrayed what Lan was loyal to.
Dave avoided his own room when Lan was up there. Lan minded his own business; he made no criticism but merely became silent with Dave or else was wholly casual in his talk. Gone were the old, frank discussions of the room-mates in regard to their personal affairs; gone were the pleasant, natural mentionings of Myra and Alice and the planning of their parties of four. Lan seldom referred to Myra and never to Alice. To think that Alice's name had become taboo!
But if Dave occasionally was made to feel self-conscious and guilty, always—or almost constantly—he was aware of a new exhilaration which supplied that confident energy which gained the business results so pleasing to Mr. Snelgrove.
