"Did Professor Opdyke have a son?" he asked, with a new eagerness which was wholly alien to the one concerning his bit of autobiography.
Olive smiled at his phrasing.
"He did; I trust he still does," she answered; "though, with a mining man, one never can be quite sure. Why? Did you know Reed?"
The colour came into Brenton's cheeks, as he blurted out the totally forgotten truth.
"I adored him, all my last two years at college."
"Really? Yes, he is Professor Opdyke's son; and people who have seen him lately tell me he is more adorable than ever."
"When have you seen him?" For something in Olive's accent made Brenton realize that there was no necessity for any preliminary question concerning the fact that she knew Opdyke well.
"Not since the year of his graduation. In fact, I was at his commencement. Why," and suddenly her eyes gathered into focus; "I remember you then, Mr. Brenton. Reed showed you to me as——" Then, all at once, she faltered and her colour came.
He strove to help her out of the abyss into which she so unwittingly had fallen.
"One of the waiters at his eating club, and popularly known there as 'Reed's Parson'?" he asked her, with a little smile which sought to cover the sting that came to him with the memory.