“Neither have I,” answered Norris sharply. He remembered that long ago Dick had called Madeline pretty. It is a cheap and easy word. “I haven’t time for you, either. Will you go away; or will you keep still while I finish this work?”
“Waltz away.” Dick sat down on the window-sill and fell into a meditative state of mind. Once or twice he walked to the door and looked down the hall, while Norris plugged steadily away and ignored the presence of his friend.
After a prolonged silence, Dick spoke again, solemnly:
“I should like to meet her.”
“Whom?”
“Miss—Quincy, did you call her?”
“Oh! Isn’t she rather out of your class?”
“Pshaw! Don’t talk of classes, now that you’re out of college. Do you know anything about her?”
“Nothing,” said Ellery shortly. “I don’t consider it my business to go beyond my official relations.”
“Well, I haven’t any business relations not to go beyond,” said Dick. “So I mean to pursue the inquiry.”