never knew why until yesterday.
My sister's husband had a brother out here with whom he meant to divide
some possessions he had inherited. That settled him with my father
forever. There was no DIVISION of property in his creed."

Burgess paused. Dennie's interest and sympathy made her silent company a
comfort.

"I was heir to my father's estate, and heir also to some funds he held
in trust. I was a scholar with ambition for honors--a Master's Degree
and a high professional place in a great university. I trusted my whole
life plans to the man who knew my father best--Dr. Joshua Wream."

Dennie looked up, questioningly.

"Yes, to Elinor's uncle, as unlike Dr. Fenneben as night and day."

"Do not blame me, Dennie, if two men have helped to misshape my life.
My father believed that money is absolute. Dr. Wream holds scholarly
achievement as the greatest life work. It has been Dr. Fenneben's part
to show me the danger and the power in each."

It was dimly dawning on Burgess that the presence of Dennie, good,
sensible Dennie, was a blessing outside of these things that could go
far toward making life successful. But he did not grasp it clearly yet.

"Dr. Wream and I made a compact before I came West. It seemed fair to me
then. By its terms I was assured, first, of my right to certain funds
my father held in trust. It was Wream who secured these rights for me.
Second, I was to succeed to his chair in Harvard if I proved worthy in
Sunrise. In return I promised to marry Elinor Wream and to provide for
her comfort and luxury with these trust funds my father and Wream had
somehow been manipulating."

Oh, yes! Dennie was level-headed. And because she did not look up nor
cry out Vincent Burgess did not see nor guess anything. His life had
been a sheltered one. How could he measure Dennie's life-discipline in
self-control and loving bravery?

"Elinor was heavy on Wream's conscience," Vincent went on, "because he
and her father, Dr. Nathan Wream, took the fortune to endow colleges and
university chairs that should have been hers from her mother's estate.
You see, Dennie, there was no wrong in the plan. Elinor would be
provided for by me. I would get up in my chosen profession. Nobody was
robbed or defrauded. Joshua Wream's last years would be peaceful with
his conscience at rest regarding Elinor's property. And, Dennie, who
would n't want to marry Elinor Wream?"

"Yes, who wouldn't?" Dennie looked up with a smile. And if th