would miss Phi Beta Kappa, but only by the merest fraction; J.W. would
rank about number twenty-seven in a graduating class of forty-five.
Marty had successfully represented his college twice in debate, and J.W.
had played second on the nine and end in the eleven, doing each job
better than well, but rarely drawing the spotlight his way.

Curiously enough, you had but to talk to Marty, and you would learn that
J.W., Jr., was the finest athlete and the most popular student in
school. Conversely, J.W., Jr., was prepared to set Cartwright's debating
record, as incarnated in Marty, against that of any other college in the
State. What was more, he cherished an unshakable confidence that the
"Rev. Martin Luther Shenk" would be one of the leading ministers of his
Conference within five years.

And so they came to commencement, with the Shenk and the Farwell
families, Pastor Drury, and Marcia Dayne in the throng of visitors. Mr.
Drury rarely missed commencements at Cartwright, and naturally he could
not stay away this year. The Farwells thought Marcia might like to see
her old schoolmates graduate, and the boys had written her that they
wanted somebody they could trot around during commencement week who
might be trusted to join in the "I knew him when" chorus without being
tempted to introduce devastating reminiscences. And Marcia, being in
love with life and youth, had been delighted to accept the combined
invitation. She was not at all in love with either of the boys, nor they
with her. They thought they knew where her heart had been given, and
they counted Joe Carbrook a lucky man.

"Tell us, Marcia," said J.W., Jr., one afternoon, as the three of them
were down by the lake, "how it happens you went to the training school
instead of the normal school last year."