g to be married the day we both
graduate, see? I won't wait a day longer to have the right to protect
you----"

The tall trees whispered above their heads, and the birds looked down
and dropped wonderful melodies about them, and Leslie stormily drove
her car back and forth on the pike and sounded her klaxon loud and
long, but it was almost an hour later that it suddenly occurred to
Allison that Leslie was waiting for them, and still later before the
two with blissful lingering finally wended their way out to the road
and were taken up by the subdued and weary Leslie, who greeted them
with relief and fell upon her new sister with eager enthusiasm and
genuine delight.

An hour later Allison, after committing his future bride to the tender
ministries of Julia Cloud, who had received her as a daughter, took
his way collegeward. He sent up his card to Miss Frazer and Miss Brice
and requested that he might see them both as soon as possible, and in
a flutter of expectancy the two presently entered the reception-room.
They were hoping he had come to take them out in his car, although
each was disappointed to find that she was not the only one summoned.

Allison in that few minutes of waiting for them, seemed to have lost
his care-free boyish air and have grown to man's estate. He greeted
the two young women with utmost courtesy and gravity and proceeded at
once to business:

"I have come to inform you," he said with a bow that might almost be
called stately, so much had the tall, slender figure lost its
boyishness, "that Miss Bristol is my fiancee, and as such it is my
business to protect her. I must ask you both to publicly apologize
before your sorority for what happened this morning."

Eunice Brice grew white and frightened, but Eugenia Frazer's face
flamed angrily.

"Indeed, Allison Cloud, I'll do nothing of the kind. What in the world
did you suppose I had to do with what happened this morning?"

"You had all to do with it. Miss Frazer, I happen to know all about
the matter."

"Well, you certainly don't," flamed Eugenia, "or you wouldn't be
engaged to that little Bristol hypocrite. Her father was a common----"

Allison took a step toward her, his face stern but controlled.

"Her father was _not_ a _forger_, Miss Frazer, and I have reason to
believe that you know that the report you are spreading about college
is not true. But however that may be, Miss Frazer, if I should say
that your father was a forger would