"I haven't any idea."
"What have you been telling her?"
The necessity of answering this question Dick escaped by returning to the other room; and his friend followed.
"Jack," Alice cried, as soon as he appeared, "tell me this moment if it's true that you're not to marry May!"
He faced her stiff and formal in his politeness.
"Pardon me if I do not see that you have any right to ask me such a question."
"Why, I came to ask Mr. Fairfield for May's letters because she is engaged to you, and he told me—"
She broke off, her habitual self-control being evidently tried almost beyond its limit.
"I took the liberty, Jack," spoke up Fairfield, "of saying—"
"Don't apologize," Neligage said. "It is true, Miss Endicott, that circumstances have arisen which make it best for May to break the engagement. I shall be obliged to you, however, if you don't mention the matter to her until she brings it up."