pride
was hurt. You were angry and would have flung yourself out of her
presence, but you could not endure the shame of defeat.

The college clock struck three. It aroused me from my stupor, and I
did make one mad rush, in my confusion acting with more acumen than I
knew.

"I never will forget you--I never can forget you," I said brokenly.

The door creaked and I arose, but it was not to face Boller. Knitting
in hand, Mrs. Todd bustled out. She made no apology for her intrusion.
The veranda was the coolest place in the house, and as she sank into a
chair I numbered her with Boller and Doctor Todd, with the enemies of
my happiness. Her round, innocent face seemed to mask a grim purpose
to sit there for the rest of the afternoon. Gladys Todd talked of the
three Miss Minnicks again as she plied her brush, and Mrs. Todd of Mr.
Minnick and Mrs. Minnick as she worked her needles. They crushed the
struggling hope I had for one moment more in which to make a last
appeal. Boller did not come. The college clock struck four and still
there was no sign of him. I was sure that he had some knowledge of my
presence, and perhaps waited for a signal from the house announcing my
departure. In that case it was useless for me to stay longer listening
to idle chatter about the Minnicks, and so, utterly unhappy, smarting
with the sense of defeat, humiliated, I made my departure, and fled
across the campus to the college and my room.

I took no supper. The mere idea of food was nauseating. I paced the
floor with my thoughts in chaos. Of consolation I had but one unsteady
gleam--at least I should be burdened with no harassing financial
problem. Sometimes the question of my meagre resources had been
amazingly persistent, but I had fought it down as unworthy to have a
place with nobler thoughts. Now it rose again, and for a moment it
seemed that I had escaped a heavy burden. Then I remembered Boller. I
pictured Boller sitting in the vine-clad veranda while Gladys Todd
painted; Boller in the Todd parlor, standing under a bower of clematis,
while Gladys Todd moved toward him in step to the wedding-march played
by the eldest Miss Minnick. In the sleepless hours that followed, one
purpose fixed itself in my mind. I should leave McGraw next day at the
sacrifice of a useless diploma. So I wrote to Gladys Todd. I wrote
many notes before I was satisfied, and the one I despatched had, I
thought, a manly, sensible tone. I did n