When I tried to pin him down to what my home life had to do with swerving the university from its high ideal, he offered me a two years' vacation, on full pay, in Europe, for recreation and research.

Of course I couldn't accept it under the circumstances." "It would have been far better if you had," Ernest said gravely.
"It was a bribe," father protested; and Ernest nodded.
"Also, the beggar said that there was talk, tea-table gossip and so forth, about my daughter being seen in public with so notorious a character as you, and that it was not in keeping with university tone and dignity.

Not that he personally objected--oh, no; but that there was talk and that I would understand." Ernest considered this announcement for a moment, and then said, and his face was very grave, withal there was a sombre wrath in it: "There is more behind this than a mere university ideal.

Somebody has put pressure on President Wilcox." "Do you think so ?" father asked, and his face showed that he was interested rather than frightened.
"I wish I could convey to you the conception that is dimly forming in my own mind," Ernest said.

"Never in the history of the world was society in so terrific flux as it is right now.