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〃I will；〃 said Stetson。
Then they visited the college authorities。 Chancellor Black
and most of the faculty were on their vacations。 But there
were half a dozen professors still in their homes around the
campus； and it was pointed out to them that the coming honor
to one lately of their number reflected glory upon the
college and upon them； and that they should take official
action。
It was also suggested that for photographic purposes they
should wear their academic robes； caps； and hoods。 To these
suggestions； with alacritypartly because they all loved
Doctor Gilman and partly because they had never been
photographed by a moving…picture machinethey all agreed。 So
it came about that when the ambassador； hot and cross and
dusty stepped off the way…train at Stillwater station he
found to his delighted amazement a red carpet stretching to a
perfectly new automobile； a company of the local militia
presenting arms； a committee； consisting of the mayor in a
high hat and white gloves and three professors in gowns and
colored hoods； and the Stillwater silver Cornet Band playing
what； after several repetitions； the ambassador was
graciously pleased to recognize as his national anthem。
The ambassador forgot that he was hot and cross。 He forgot
that he was dusty。 His face radiated satisfaction and
perspiration。 Here at last were people who appreciated him
and his high office。 And as the mayor helped him into the
automobile； and those students who lived in Stillwater
welcomed him with strange yells； and the moving…picture
machine aimed at him point blank； he beamed with
condescension。 But inwardly he was ill at ease。
inwardly he was chastising himself for having； through his
ignorance of America； failed to appreciate the importance of
the man he had come to honor。 When he remembered he had never
even heard of Doctor Gilman he blushed with confusion。 And
when he recollected that he had been almost on the point of
refusing to come to Stillwater； that he had considered
leaving the presentation to his secretary； he shuddered。 What
might not the Sultan have done to him！ What a narrow escape！
Attracted by the band； by the sight of their fellow townsmen
in khaki； by the sight of the stout gentleman in the red fez；
by a tremendous liking and respect for Doctor Gilman； the
entire town of Stillwater gathered outside his cottage。 And
inside； the old professor； trembling and bewildered and yet
strangely happy； bowed his shoulders while the ambassador
slipped over them the broad green scarf and upon his only
frock coat pinned the diamond sunburst。 In woeful
embarrassment Doctor Gilman smiled and bowed and smiled； and
then； as the delighted mayor of Stillwater shouted； 〃Speech；〃
in sudden panic he reached out his hand quickly and covertly；
and found the hand of his wife。
〃Now； then； three Long ones！〃 yelled the cheer leader。 〃Now；
then； 'See the Conquering Hero！'〃 yelled the bandmaster。
〃Attention！ Present arms！〃 yelled the militia captain； and
the townspeople and the professors applauded and waved their
hats and handkerchiefs。 And Doctor Gilman and his wife； he
frightened and confused； she happy and proud； and taking it
all as a matter of course； stood arm in arm in the frame of
honeysuckles and bowed and bowed and bowed。 And the
ambassador so far unbent as to drink champagne； which
appeared mysteriously in tubs of ice from the rear of the
ivy…covered cottage； with the mayor； with the wives of the
professors； with the students； with the bandmaster。 Indeed；
so often did he unbend that when the perfectly new automobile
conveyed him back to the Touraine； he was sleeping happily
and smiling in his sleep。
Peter had arrived in America at the same time as had the
insignia； but Hines and Stetson would not let him show
himself in Stillwater。 They were afraid if all three
conspirators foregathered they might inadvertently drop some
clew that would lead to suspicion and discovery。
So Peter worked from New York； and his first act was
anonymously to supply his father and Chancellor Black with
All the newspaper accounts of the great celebration at
Stillwater。 When Doctor black read them he choked。 Never
before had Stillwater College been brought so prominently
before the public； and never before had her president been so
utterly and completely ignored。 And what made it worse was
that he recognized that even had he been present he could not
have shown his face。 How could he； who had； as every one
connected with the college now knew； out of spite and without
cause； dismissed an old and faithful servant； join in
chanting his praises。 He only hoped his patron； Hallowell
senior； might not hear of Gilman's triumph。 But Hallowell
senior heard little of anything else。 At his office； at his
clubs； on the golf…links； every one he met congratulated him
on the high and peculiar distinction that had come to his pet
college。
〃You certainly have the darnedest luck in backing the right
horse；〃 exclaimed a rival pork…packer enviously。 〃Now if I
pay a hundred thousand for a Velasquez it turns out to be a
bad copy worth thirty dollars； but you pay a professor three
thousand and he brings you in half a million dollars' worth
of free advertising。 Why； this Doctor Gilman's doing as much
for your college as Doctor Osler did for Johns Hopkins or as
Walter Camp does for Yale。〃
Mr。 Hallowell received these Congratulations as gracefully as
he was able； and in secret raged at Chancellor Black。 Each
day his rage increased。 It seemed as though there would never
be an end to Doctor Gilman。 The stone he had rejected had
become the corner…stone of Stillwater。 Whenever he opened a
newspaper he felt like exclaiming： 〃Will no one rid me of
this pestilent fellow？〃 For the 〃Rise and Fall；〃 in an
edition deluxe limited to two hundred copies； was being
bought up by all his book…collecting millionaire friends； a
popular edition was on view in the windows of every book…
shop； It was offered as a prize to subscribers to all the
more sedate magazines； and the name and features of the
distinguished author had become famous and familiar。 Not a
day passed but that some new honor； at least so the
newspapers stated； was thrust upon him。 Paragraphs announced
that he was to be the next exchange professor to Berlin； that
in May he was to lecture at the Sorbonne； that in June he was
to receive a degree from Oxford。
A fresh…water college on one of the Great Lakes leaped to the
front by offering him the chair of history at that seat of
learning at a salary of five thousand dollars a year。 Some of
the honors that had been thrust upon Doctor Gilman existed
only in the imagination of Peter and Stetson； but this offer
happened to be genuine。
〃Doctor Gilman rejected it without consideration。 He read the
letter from the trustees to his wife and shook his head。
〃We could not be happy away from Stillwater；〃 he said。 〃 We
have only a month more in the cottage； but after that we
still can walk past it； we can look into the garden and see
the flowers she planted。 We can visit the place where she
lies。 But if we went away we should be lonely and miserable
for her； and she would be lonely for us。〃
Mr。 Hallowell could not know why Doctor Gilman had refused to
leave Stillwater； but when he read that the small Eastern
college at which Doctor Gilman had graduated had offered to
make him its president； his jealousy knew no bounds。
He telegraphed to Black： 〃Reinstate Gilman at once； offer him
six thousandoffer him whatever he wants； but make him
promise for no consideration to leave Stillwater he is only
member faculty ever brought any credit to the college if we
lose him I'll hold you responsible。〃
The next morning； hat in hand； smiling ingratiatingly； the
Chancellor called upon Doctor Gilman and ate so much humble
pie that for a week he suffered acute mental indigestion。 But
little did Hallowell senior care for that。 He had got what he
wanted。 Doctor Gilman； the distinguished； was back in the
faculty； and had made only one conditionthat he might live
until he died in the ivy…covered cottage。
Two weeks later； when Peter arrived at Stillwater to take the
history examin