yours. Don't deny it, Sir. Have I not suffered all the pangs, with
just a week before the final ordeal? This is your final, I believe?"

"I hope so," said Mr. Dunn somewhat ruefully.

"Yes, yes, and a very fine career, a career befitting your father's
son. And I sincerely trust, Sir, that as your career has been marked by
honour, your exit shall be with distinction; and all the more that I am
not unaware of your achievements in another department of--ah--shall I
say endeavour. I have seen your name, Sir, mentioned more than once,
to the honour of our university, in athletic events." At this point Mr.
Rae's face broke into a smile.

An amazing smile was Mr. Rae's; amazing both in the suddenness of
its appearing and in the suddenness of its vanishing. Upon a face of
supernatural gravity, without warning, without beginning, the smile,
broad, full and effulgent, was instantaneously present. Then equally
without warning and without fading the smile ceased to be. Under its
effulgence the observer unfamiliar with Mr. Rae's smile was moved, to a
responsive geniality of expression, but in the full tide of this emotion
he found himself suddenly regarding a face of such preternatural gravity
as rebuked the very possibility or suggestion of geniality. Before the
smile Mr. Rae's face was like a house, with the shutters up and the
family plunged in gloom. When the smile broke forth every shutter was
flung wide to the pouring sunlight, and every window full of flowers
and laughing children. Then instantly and without warning the house
was blank, lifeless, and shuttered once more, leaving you helplessly
apologetic that you had ever been guilty of the fatuity of associating
anything but death and gloom with its appearance.

To young Mr. Dunn it was extremely disconcerting to discover himself
smiling genially into a face of the severest gravity, and eyes that
rebuked him for his untimely levity. "Oh, I beg pardon," exclaimed Mr.
Dunn hastily, "I thought--"

"Not at all, Sir," replied Mr. Rae. "As I was saying, I have observed
from time to time the distinctions you have achieved in the realm of
athletics. And that reminds me of my business with you to-day,--a sad
business, a serious business, I fear." The solemn impressiveness of
Mr. Rae's manner awakened in Mr. Dunn an awe amounting to dread. "It is
young Cameron, a friend of yours, I believe, Sir."

"Cameron, Sir!" echoed Dunn.

"Yes, Cameron. Does he, or did he not have a place