you。〃
Jack accompanied them on their way to the road。 〃Kathleen and I are hoping that perhaps you may be able to come to our wedding。 It will be very soonin a few weeks。〃
〃Yes； could you； Jane； dear？〃 said Kathleen。 〃We should like it above everything else。 I know it is a long； long journey； but if you could。〃
〃When is it to be？〃 said Jane。
〃Somewhere about the middle of October。〃 But Jane shook her head disconsolately。 By that time she knew she would be deep in her university work； and with Jane work ever came before play。
〃I am afraid not；〃 she said。 〃But； oh； I do wish you all the happiness in the world。 Nothing has ever made me so glad。 Oh； but you will be happy； I know。 Both of you are so lovely。〃 A sudden rush of tears filled the deep dark eyes as she shook hands with Jack in farewell。 〃But；〃 she cried in sudden rapture； 〃why not come to us for a day on your wedding trip？〃
〃That's a splendid idea。〃 For a moment or two Jack and Kathleen stood looking at each other。
〃Jane； we shall surely come。 You may count on us；〃 said Jack。
In the afternoon Mrs。 Gwynne sent Jane away for a ride with Larry。
〃Just go quietly； Larry；〃 said his mother。 〃Don't race and don't tire Jane。〃
〃I will take care of her；〃 said Larry； 〃but I won't promise that we won't race。 Jane would not stand for that； you know。 Besides she is riding Ginger； and Ginger is not exactly like old Polly。 But never fear； we shall have a good ride； Mother；〃 he added； waving his hand gaily as they rode away； taking the coolee trail to the timber lot。
Larry was in high spirits。 He talked of his work for the winter。 He was hoping great things from this his last year in college。 For the first time in his university career he would be able to give the full term to study。 He would be a couple of weeks late on account of Kathleen's marriage； but he would soon make that up。 He had his work well in hand and this year he meant to do something worth while。 〃I should like to take that medal home to Mother；〃 he said with a laugh。 〃I just fancy I see her face。 She would try awfully hard not to seem proud； but she would just be running over with it。〃 Jane gave； as ever； a sympathetic hearing but she had little to say； even less than was usual with her。 Her smile； however； was as quick and as bright as ever； and Larry chattered on beside her apparently unaware of her silence。 Up the coolee and through the woods and back by the dump their trail led them。 On the way home they passed the Switzer house。
〃Have you seen Mr。 Switzer？〃 said Jane。
〃No； by Jove； he hasn't been near us for a week； has he？〃 replied Larry。
〃Poor man； I feel so sorry for him；〃 said Jane。
〃Oh； he will be all right。 He is busy with his work。 He is awfully keen about that mine of his； and once the thing is over after Kathleen is married； I meanit will be different。〃
Jane rode on in silence for some distance。 Then she said；
〃I wonder how much you know about it； Larry。 I don't think you know the very least bit。〃
〃Well； perhaps not；〃 said Larry cheerfully； 〃but they always get over it。〃
〃Oh； do they？〃 said Jane。 〃I wonder。〃
And again she rode on listening in silence to Larry's chatter。
〃You will have a delightful visit at Banff； Jane。 Do you know Wakeham is going to motor up？ He is to meet his father there。 He asked me to go with him；〃 and as he spoke Larry glanced at her face。
〃That would be splendid for you； Larry；〃 she said； 〃but you couldn't leave them at home with all the work going on； could you？〃
〃No；〃 said Larry gloomily； 〃I do not suppose I could。 But I think you might have let me say that。〃
〃But it is true； isn't it； Larry？〃 said Jane。
〃Yes； it's true； and there's no use talking about it； and so I told him。 But；〃 he said； cheering up again； 〃I have been having a holiday these two weeks since you have been here。〃
〃I know；〃 said Jane remorsefully； 〃we must have cut into your work dreadfully。〃
〃Yes； I have loafed a bit； but it was worth while。 What a jolly time we have had！ At least； I hope you have had； Jane。〃
〃You don't need to ask me； do you； Larry？〃
〃I don't know。 You are so dreadfully secretive as to your feelings； one never knows about you。〃
〃Now； you are talking nonsense；〃 replied Jane hotly。 〃You know quite well that I have enjoyed every minute of my visit here。〃
They rode in silence for some time； then Larry said； 〃Jane； you are the best chum a fellow ever had。 You never expect a chap to pay you special attention or make love to you。 There is none of that sort of nonsense about you； is there？〃
〃No； Larry；〃 said Jane simply； but she kept her face turned away from him。
CHAPTER XVIII
THE VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS
The results of the University examinations filled three sheets of the Winnipeg morning papers。 With eager eyes and anxious hearts hundreds of the youth of Manitoba and the other western provinces scanned these lists。 It was a veritable Day of Judgment； a day of glad surprises for the faithful in duty and the humble in heart； a day of Nemesis for the vainly self…confident slackers who had grounded their hopes upon eleventh hour cramming and lucky shots in exam papers。 There were triumphs which won universal approval； others which received grudging praise。
Of the former； none of those； in the Junior year at least； gave more general satisfaction than did Jane Brown's in the winning of the German prize over Heinrich Kellerman； and for a number of reasons。 In the first place Jane beat the German in his own language； at his own game； so to speak。 Then； too； Jane； while a hard student； took her full share in college activities； and carried through these such a spirit of generosity and fidelity as made her liked and admired by the whole body of the students。 Kellerman； on the other hand； was of that species of student known as a pot…hunter； who took no interest in college life； but devoted himself solely to the business of getting for himself everything that the college had to offer。
Perhaps Jane alone； of his fellow students； gave a single thought to the disappointment of the little Jew。 She alone knew how keenly he had striven for the prize； and how surely he had counted upon winning it。 She had the feeling； too； that somehow the class lists did not represent the relative scholarship of the Jew and herself。 He knew more German than she。 It was this feeling that prompted her to write him a note which brought an answer in formal and stilted English。
〃Dear Miss Brown；〃 the answer ran； 〃I thank you for your beautiful note； which is so much like yourself that in reading it I could see your smile； which so constantly characterises you to all your friends。 I confess to disappointment； but the disappointment is largely mitigated by the knowledge that the prize which I failed to acquire went to one who is so worthy of it； and for whom I cherish the emotions of profound esteem and good will。 Your devoted and disappointed rival； Heinrich Kellerman。〃
〃Rather sporting of him； isn't it？〃 said Jane to her friend Ethel Murray； who had come to dinner。
〃Sporting？〃 said Ethel。 〃It is the last thing I would have said about Kellerman。〃
〃That is the worst of prizes；〃 said Jane； 〃some one has to lose。〃
〃Just the way I feel about Mr。 MacLean；〃 said Ethel。 〃He ought to have had the medal and not I。 He knows more philosophy in a minute than I in a week。〃
〃Oh； I wouldn't say that；〃 said Jane judicially。 〃And though I am awfully glad you got it； Ethel； I am sorry for Mr。 MacLean。 You know he is working his way through college； and has to keep up a mission through the term。 He is a good man。〃
〃Yes； he is good； a little too good；〃 said Ethel； making a little face。 〃Isn't it splendid about Larry Gwynne getting the Proficiency； and the first in Engineering？ Now he is what I call a sport。 Of course he doesn't go in for games much； but he's into everything； the Lit。； the Dramatic Society； and Scuddy says he helped him tremendously with the Senior class in the Y。 M。 C。 A。 work。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Jane； 〃and the Register told Papa that the University had never graduated such a brilliant student。 And Ramsay Dunn told me that he just ran the Athletic Association and was really responsible for the winning of the track team。〃
〃What a pity about Ramsay Dunn；〃 said Ethel。 〃He just managed to scrape through。 Do you know； the boys say he kept himself up mostly on whiskey…and…sodas through the exams。 He must be awfully clever； and he is so good…looking。〃
〃Poor Ramsay；〃 said Jane； 〃he has not had a very good chance。 I mean； he has too much money。 He is coming to dinner to…night； Ethel； and Frank Smart； too。〃
〃Oh； Frank Smart！ They say he is doing awfully well。 Father says he is one of the coming men in his profession。 He is a great friend of yours； isn't he； Jane？〃 said Ethel； with a meaning smile。
〃We have known him a long time；〃 said Jane； ignoring the smile。 〃We think a great deal of him。〃
〃When have you seen Larry？〃 enquired Ethel。 〃He comes here a lot； doesn't he？〃
〃Yes。 He says this is his Winnipeg home。 I haven't seen him all to…day。〃
〃You don't mean to tell me！〃 exclaimed Ethel。
〃I mean I haven't seen him to congratulate him on his medal。 His mother will be so glad。〃
〃You know his people； don't you？ Tell me about them。 You see； I may as well confess to you that I have a fearful crush on Larry。〃
〃I know；〃 said Jane sympathetically。
〃But；〃 continued Ethel； 〃he is awfully difficult。 His people are ranching； aren't they？ And poor； I understand。〃
〃Yes； they are ranching；〃 said Jane； 〃and Larry has had quite a hard time getting through。 I had a lovely visit last fall with them。〃
〃Oh； tell me about it！〃 exclaimed Ethel。 〃I heard a little； you know； from Larry。〃
For half an hour Jane dilated on her western visit to the Lakeside Farm。
〃Oh； you lucky girl！〃 cried Ethel。 〃What a chance you had！ To think of it！ Three weeks； lonely rides； moonlight； and not a soul to butt in！ Oh； Jane！ I only wish I had had such a chance！ Did nothing happen； Jane？ Oh； come on now； you are too awfully oysteresque。 Didn't he come across at all？〃
Jane's face glowed a dull red； but she made no pretence of failing to understand