The second victory was like the throwing down of a gauntlet. The class, which had been quietly dividing since the advent of the hold-offs, definitely split, and for the first time Stover became aware of the soundness of the opposition to the social system of which he was a prospective leader. Quite to his surprise, Jim Hunter appeared in his room one night.
"What the deuce does he want now?" he thought to himself, wondering if he were to be again solicited in favor of Stone, who was still short of election.
"I say, Dink, we're up against a serious row," said Hunter, making himself comfortable and speaking always in the same unvarying tone. "The class is split to pieces."
"It's all Gimbel and that crowd of soreheads he runs. We had trouble with him up at Andover."
"Well, Jim, what do you think about the whole proposition?" said Stover. "The college seems pretty strong against us."
"It's just a couple of men who are cooking it up to work themselves into office," said Hunter, dismissing the idea lightly. "You'll see, that's all there is to it."
Somehow, Stover found that renewed contest with Hunter only increased the feeling of antagonism he had felt from the first. He was aware of a growing resistance to Hunter's point of view, guarded and deliberate as it was. So he said point blank:
"I'm not so sure there isn't some basis for the feeling. We ought to watch out and make ourselves as democratic as possible."
"My dear fellow," said Hunter, in the tone of amused worldliness, "these anti-society fights go on everywhere. There was a great hullabaloo six or seven years ago, and then it all died out. You'll see, that's what'll happen. Gimbel'll get what he wants, then he'll quiet down and hope to make a senior society. Don't get too excited over things that happen in freshman year."
"Have you talked with Story?" said Stover, resenting his tone.
"Bob's got a curious twist--he's a good deal of a dreamer."
"No, not in our crowd," said Hunter. "I think we do very well what we set out to get--the representative men of the class, to bring them together into close friendship, and make them understand one another's point of view and so work together for the best in the university."
"As a rule, no. Of course, there are one or two men who develop later, but if there's anything in them they'll really make good."