In spite of this and many other rivalries their friendship seemed to have strengthened during the years, and in their junior and senior years they had been roommates.

Adams was president of the student body and captain of the debating team. He was a brilliant scholar. Lafitte had failed to make the debating team and had been defeated by a few votes in the election of class officers, nor could he achieve better than passing grades on his way toward graduation; yet he felt no jealousy of Adams. On the contrary, he was very proud of him.

In a few things Lafitte excelled. He was boxing champion of the school and the crack shot of the R.O.T.C. unit. In addition to these, he made the highest grades in military science; but in his chosen field, law, he did not do so well.

Daisy Juke and Shirley Huntington and Billy Perry made up the remainder of the old high school crowd that had gone on to the university together. Daisy had been voted the prettiest girl and the most popular co-ed, but she was having difficulty in keeping her grades up to passing level.

"I guess I'm plain dumb," she said.

"Too many dates," opined Shirley.

The other girl shook her head. "My people never amounted to anything. Dad's the best of the bunch, but he's only a poor farmer. He doesn't even believe in education. I shouldn't have gone beyond high school if it hadn't been for Mother. I got my looks from her, but I guess the rest of me's Juke."

There was an embarrassed silence. Both girls were thinking of the same thing, for they had studied eugenics together. Shirley Huntington shot a quick glance at her chum. "Don't be silly, Daisy; you can make yourself anything you want to-"

The other girl examined her shapely, painted nails critically. "I wonder."

John Lafitte was bending over a law book when Adams came in from class. He looked up and nodded; then he tilted his chair back and lighted a cigarette. "The more I study law the more I understand why there are so many bum lawyers. "

Adams tossed his books onto his own desk, straddled a chair, and leaned his forearms across the back. "You're studying too hard."

"I know it; I'm pooped. But I wouldn't mind that if I were learning anything. I just don't seem to savvy."

"Aw, you're all right; forget that inferiority complex. Gimme a Lucky. "

They smoked in silence for a moment. Presently Adams looked up. "I was sure sore about that election last night. If there wasn't such a bunch of nitwits in this class you'd have been elected."

"Bill Perry's all right; he'll make a good president."

"You got it all over him, Johnny."

"He's a darn good speaker."

"Yeah? Gab's all right if there're any brains back of it. Do you remember that guy who was student body president our freshman year, the one that circulated a petition and sent it to the President demanding that we recognize Soviet Russia? That's what I mean. That bird had won a national oratorical contest, and it went to his head where his brains ought to have been."

Lafitte laughed.