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THE PLASTIC AGE
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hurt for an hour afterward. What pleasant pain! Each new arrival was similarly received, but the ex¬ citement did not last long. Both the freshmen and the upper-classmen were too tired to keep the en¬ thusiasm at the proper pitch. At nine o’clock the freshmen were sent home with orders to report the next evening at eight.

Carl and Hugh, proudly conscious of the pledge buttons in the lapels of their coats, walked slowly across the campus, spent and weary, but exquisitely happy.

“They bid me on account of you,” Carl said softly. “They did n’t think they could get you un¬ less they asked me, too.”

“No,” Hugh replied, “you ’re wrong. They took you for yourself. They knew you would go where I did, and they were sure that I would go their way.”

Hugh was quite right. The Nu Deltas had felt sure of both of them and had not rushed them harder because they were too busy to waste any time on certainties.

Carl stopped suddenly. “God, Hugh,” he ex¬ claimed. “Just suppose I had offered the Alpha Sigs that cash. God!”

“Aren’t you glad you didnt? happily. “Glad? Hugh asked „

Glad? Boy, I’m bug-house. And,