"Miss Merriwayne!" he said. "This thing that you propose doing— cannot be done! I am engaged to Miss Bretton!"
For a single instant only, every knowledge, manner, poise, that John Burnarde had been born with, defied every knowledge, manner, poise, that Claudia Merriwayne had worked forty years to acquire.
Then reverting suddenly to the identical accent with which Claudia Merriwayne's mother was still lashing Claudia Merriwayne's father, doubtless, in the little far away North Kansas home, the College President opened her thin lips to speak.
"The thing—is already done,—Mr. Burnarde," she said. "Miss Bretton left town an hour ago—and with her paramour, I am told!"
"With her—what?" cried John Burnarde. 50
"With her 'paramour,'" repeated the President coolly.
"The word is unfortunate," frowned Burnarde.
"So—is the episode," said the President.
With a little sharp catch of his breath John Burnarde stepped forward to the edge of the desk.
"You understand that I am going to marry Miss Bretton?" he affirmed with some incisiveness.