Boston with those bonds in January. She was going back to college
after the holidays. She's very interesting--quite different."

"Different?" repeated Bassett vaguely, dropping back in his chair, but
again referring absently to the letter.

"Yes," Dan smiled. "She has a lot of individuality. She's a serious
young person; very practical-minded, I should say. They tell me she
walks through mathematics like a young duchess through the minuet. Some
other Wellesley girls were on the train and they did not scruple to
attribute miraculous powers to her; a good sign, other girls liking her
so much. They were very frank in their admiration."

"Mrs. Owen had her at Waupegan several years ago, and my wife and Marian
met her there. Mrs. Bassett was greatly impressed by her fine mind. It
seems to me I saw her, too, that summer; but of course she's grown up
since then."

He glanced at Harwood as though for confirmation of these details, but
Dan's thoughts were elsewhere. He was thinking of Sylvia speeding
homeward, and of the little cottage beside the campus. His subsequent
meetings with Sylvia had caused a requickening of all the impressions of
his visit to Professor Kelton, and he had been recalling that errand
again to-day. The old gentleman had given his answer with decision;
Harwood recalled the crisp biting-off of the negative, and the Professor
had lifted his head slightly as he spoke the word. Dan remembered the
peace of the cottage, the sweet scents of June blowing through the open
windows; and he remembered Sylvia as she had opened the door, and their
colloquy later, on the campus.

"You'd better go to Montgomery with Miss Garrison and report to Mrs.
Owen for any service you may render her. Does the old gentleman's death
leave the girl alone?"

"Quite so, I think. She had lived with him nearly all her life. The
papers mentioned no other near relatives."

"I'll be in town a day or two. You do what you can over there for Mrs.
Owen."

That evening, returning to the office to clear off his desk in
preparation for his absence the next day, Dan found Bassett there. This
was unusual; Bassett rarely visited the office at night. He had
evidently been deeply occupied with his thoughts, for when Dan entered
he was sitting before his closed desk with his hat on. He nodded, and a
few moments later passed through the library on his way out.

"Suppose I won't see you to-morrow. Well, I'm going to be in town a few
days. Take you