The White Feather

ver the gas-stove in his study with a Thucydides. He had been staying in that day

econd eleven, and had won the Feather Weights at Aldershot-and seemed to have no interests outside them. Sheen, on the other hand, played fives for the house, and that was all. He was bad at cricket, and had given up football by special arrangement with Allardyce, on the plea that he wanted all his time for work. He was

which everybody knows, that they are in the black books of the authorities, and that sooner or later, in the picturesque phrase of the New Yorker, they will "get it in the neck". To this class Stanning and Attell belonged. It was plain to all that the former was the leading member of the firm. A glance at the latter was enough to show that, whatever ambitions he may have had in the direction of villainy, he had not the brains necessary for really satisfactory evildoing. As for Stanning, he pursued an even course of life, always rigidly obeying the eleventh commandment, "t

t, and it frequently complicated his affairs. There come times when one has to choose which of two people one shall offend. By acting in one way, we offend A. By acting in the opposite way, we annoy B. Sheen had found himself faced by this problem when he began to be friendly with Drummond. Their acquaintance, begun over a game of fives, had progressed. Sheen admired Drummon

de less than Stanning hated him, Sheen was under the painful necessity of c

ttle exercise, and he made a resolution to diminish his hours of work per diem by one, and to devote that one to fives. He would mention it to Drummond when he came in. He would probably come in to tea. The board was spre

passage of Nikias' speech, in which that eminent general himself seemed t

d in moments of embarrassment. Since the advent of Drummond he had avoided Stanning, and he could not see him without feeling uncomfortable. As the

" said Stanni

, it was something of a relief that the other had not

pologetically, "I'm

of swotting, though? I'm

ht have replied with justice that, if that was the case, the more he swotted the b

re, always staying

d watching the

ed round for a simile, "as a dough-n

ives, I think. I do

don't you

time. I wan

I'm not doi

rive a spiritual prid

id Stanning, "I'll play y

mfortable, but he made an effo

y be playing Dru

Stanning. "I don't car

was a

to tell you about last night. I got out, and went to Mitchell's.

th whom when at school he had been on friendly terms; and Stanning, breaking out of his house after everybody had gone to bed, would make his way to the Mitchell residence, and spend a pleasant hour or so there. Mitchell senior owned Turkish cigarettes and a billiard table. Stanning appreciated both. There was also a piano, and Stanning had brought Sheen with him one ni

t the note

come? Mitchell was as

beastly

ky!

t sacked if w

't get cau

an internal vow t

go again on Monda

Stanning," said Sheen

it. That's what's t

o," admit

and adulation, and feels a glow of conscious merit. But with Sheen it was otherwi

l be sick," s

said n

changed t

ive us some tea. You seem to ha

of red and experiencing a redoubled attack of the warm

essed his candid opinion

cribed Sheen, too in

e just because you've got to know Drummond a bit, but you'll

that-" b

bout trying to avoid me all day, and

you

up," sai