hitburn had risen behind his desk as the door
opened--"I certainly hope that you can realize that there was nothing
but the most purely coincidental connection between the event featured
in this morning's newspapers and your performance, a month ago, in
Modern History Four," he began.

"I realize nothing of the sort. The death of Khalid ib'n Hussein is a
fact of history, unalterably set in its proper place in time-sequence.
It was a fact of history a month ago no less than today."

"So that's going to be your attitude; that your wild utterances of a
month ago have now been vindicated as fulfilled prophesies? And I
suppose you intend to exploit this--this coincidence--to the utmost.
The involvement of Blanley College in a mess of sensational publicity
means nothing to you, I presume."

"I haven't any idea what you're talking about."

"You mean to tell me that you didn't give this story to the local
newspaper, the _Valley Times_?" Whitburn demanded.

"I did not. I haven't mentioned the subject to anybody connected with
the _Times_, or anybody else, for that matter. Except my attorney, a
month ago, when you were threatening to repudiate the contract you
signed with me."

"I suppose I'm expected to take your word for that?"

"Yes, you are. Unless you care to call me a liar in so many words." He
moved a step closer. Lloyd Whitburn outweighed him by fifty pounds,
but most of the difference was fat. Whitburn must have realized that,
too.

"No, no; if you say you haven't talked about it to the _Valley Times_,
that's enough," he said hastily. "But somebody did. A reporter was
here not twenty minutes ago; he refused to say who had given him the
story, but he wanted to question me about it."

"What did you tell him?"

"I refused to make any statement whatever. I also called Colonel
Tighlman, the owner of the paper, and asked him, very reasonably, to
suppress the story. I thought that my own position and the importance
of Blanley College to this town entitled me to that much
consideration." Whitburn's face became almost purple. "He ... he
laughed at me!"

"Newspaper people don't like to be told to kill stories. Not even by
college presidents. That's only made things worse. Personally, I don't
relish the prospect of having this publicized, any more than you do. I
can assure you that I shall be most guarded if any of the _Times_
reporters talk to me about it, and if I have time to get back to my
class before the end of