, "I need scarcely assure you
that I feel greatly honored by what you have told me. But the fact is,
I am not free. I am engaged."

"Engaged!" cried the Frau Professorin, starting forward in her chair.
"Why, then, did you not tell me that?"

"It is a secret engagement."

"A secret engagement! And do your parents know of it?"

"They do not."

"And the lady's name?"

"Miss--Miss--Jones."

Grover had no genius for mendacity and he was already beginning
to repent of his daring fiction. But Mrs. Bornholm, suddenly
possessed with some luminous idea, proceeded mercilessly in her
cross-examination, feeling that her position, as the wronged party,
gave her a right to trample upon conventionalities.

"Is this Miss Jones musical?" she queried eagerly.

"Yes," he replied vaguely; "that is, I believe so."

"You will excuse me," she went on; "but I am naturally much interested
in this unknown person, because of my interest in you. Would you mind
telling me if she is dark or a blonde?"

"She is dark."

"One thing more; have you written to her recently?"

"No; not very recently."

"And has she ever said anything to you about coming here?"

"Not a word."

The Professorin arose with a triumphant nod and began to pace the
floor.

"Miss Jones is a brunette, musical and rich--I suppose she is rich?"
she repeated, with an interrogative glance at Grover.

"She is not poor," he responded feebly.

"Good," said his tormentor fiercely, and nodding again with great
emphasis, "very good."

Grover began to feel apprehensive that she had taken leave of her
senses. The disappointment, the shock to her cherished hopes, had
perhaps been too much for her. He arose a little tremblingly and
offered her his hand.

"I am your most obedient servant, Frau Professorin," he remarked,
bowing deeply, and backing toward the door.

"We shall no doubt have the pleasure of seeing you soon again, Mr.
Grover," she observed, eyeing him with curious significance.

"You are very kind," he murmured, and made haste to vanish.

II.

It was only three days later that Grover received an invitation to
dine at Professor Bornholm's. He had spent the intervening period in
meditation concerning Mrs. Bornholm's curious behavior. That she had
something on her mind was obvious, and he had no doubt that he would
to-day discover what it was. He felt confident that she had been
plotting against him and had some dramatic surpris