He couldn’t go off to a distant college and leave them all by themselves, even if he wasn’t legally equipped with years enough to make him a real protector.

Of course, too, he couldn’t stop college. No one would stand for that. The horde of relatives would rise up in a mob-rage and down him. He couldn’t get away with stopping college. And, of course, he knew it wouldn’t be the right thing, either. Since there was money enough to finance it, and since it had been his father’s wish, his father’s son must have the right education. But he didn’t have to get it nearly a thousand miles away from the rest of the family, now that they were orphaned. There was a university in their own city to which he could go. The college he had planned for had been his own choice, but there was no reason whatever why he couldn’t change it all and stick around home. The university in the city had just as high a reputation as the one in the far west.

So Jeremy thrashed that out all by himself. Definitely he decided in the dark hours of that night that he would arrange for that change before any meddlesome uncles and aunts could butt in and say what he ought to do. He would show them that he was a man to make his own decisions, even thought he wasn’t of age yet.

Then, too, there was another thing to think about, and that was Jennifer. She was through college, and that was a help. Good for Jennifer! She certainly was smart, finishing so young! But there was another thought that was disquieting, and that was Peter Willis!

Did Jennifer care for that poor fish? His heart sank. If she did there wasn’t a thing he could do, was there?

And just then Jennifer’s thoughts were on the same subject again. Why was it that the memory of Peter made her uncomfortable? Was it Peter himself, or was it just the foregone conclusion that her aunts had uttered? She must get that straightened out in her mind and understand it. She couldn’t have it hanging around tormenting her like something she had evaded, something she hadn’t been fair with.

Of course, Peter had been dictatorial, annoying, possessive, as if he owned her, and she realized that that had a great deal to do with her resentment at him. But did he own her in any way? Had his companionship become anything definite to her, so that he had a right to presume to think for her?

But even as the question presented itself to her mind, memory brought back sharply Peter’s utter disregard of her young brothers and sisters, showing that he had no conception whatever of her own feeling of loyalty to them. That might be explainable by the fact that he had no brothers and sisters of his own and might not understand what family ties were. It might be that when these things were explained to him his attitude would be different, but she found herself gravely doubting it. Peter was essentially selfish. A quick glance backward through the years of her acquaintance with him showed that plainly. When a person was born selfish, did he ever get over it? Did she want to pin her faith to a young man who thought for himself first, and foremost, and always?

To be honest, she realized that he was selfish even in his professed love for her. He hadn’t asked what she would like to do. He had suggested that they get married at once so that they could run away from all responsibilities and have a good time. He hadn’t suggested that he would like to share her responsibilities and help her to love and care for the orphaned sisters and brothers. He had only looked bored and talked about schools, even for a mere baby like Robin. No, she couldn’t think of Peter as ever taking an interest in, and growing to really love, her family. If he knew what she was doing now he would laugh at her for a fool. If he should meet her now out on this dark, unlit way, he would merely try to block her path and even telegraph at once for some of those domineering relatives to put a stop to her foolishness.