“But, Mr. Morton, Mr. Harrison isn’t in town just now,” Betty expostulated, not thinking it necessary to add that Mr. Harrison’s absence was the chief reason why she had not absolutely refused to confide in Mr. Morton.
“That may be,” Mr. Morton sputtered, “but he is somewhere on this side of the globe, isn’t he? He hasn’t dropped off the earth, and presumably he can be reached by wire or wireless, can’t he? You go to bed and to sleep, Miss B. A. I’ll settle this scamp Harrison.”
“But Mr. Morton——” Betty began, only to be majestically waved into silence.
“I admire your independence. I always admire independence. But in this case it’s absurd. I won’t call this man Harrison a scamp to his face, Miss B. A.; I give you my word I won’t. But I’ll bring him to terms, or my name’s not J. J. Morton. You see, Miss B. A., in a case like this my name is a pretty valuable asset. It will scare him a good deal when he finds who’s back of this tea-shop that he thought was run by a parcel of little girls.”
Next morning the chapel bell was tolling and the last stragglers were hurrying up the hill, hoping to slip in before the doors were closed, when a carriage drove up to the Tally-ho and Jasper J. Morton, descending from it, beckoned wildly to Betty to come out.
THEY INTERCEPTED THE PRESIDENT
“I don’t want to miss seeing this famous chapel service,” he called, as Betty, who had been watching for him by a window, appeared. “I’ve done your business, Miss B. A. I routed out the agent, got this Harrison’s address, and”—he chuckled reminiscently,—“in three minutes by long distance the whole thing was arranged. The rent and the agent go on just as usual. The agent will bring you a contract, made out for as long as you like. There will be no rent this summer while the place is closed for needed repairs. Is this the right way to chapel? Come on then.”
The portly form of Jasper Jones Morton barely squeezed through the chapel door as it slid shut, and he and Betty dropped breathlessly into the back row of seats.
“I like to accomplish what I set out to,” he murmured under cover of the opening chant. “And I’d like to meet the president of the college some time when it’s convenient.”