course I'm not implying, Mr. Harwood, that that was true in your case."

"Oh, I'm not sensitive about that, Mr. Bassett. And I beg not to be
taken as an example of what Yale does for her students. Some of the
smaller colleges stand for the best things; there's Madison College,
here in our own state--its standards are severely high, and the place
itself has quality, atmosphere--you feel, even as a casual visitor,
that it's the real thing."

"So I've always heard," remarked Mrs. Bassett. "My father always admired
Madison. Strange to say, I have never been there. Are you acquainted in
Montgomery?"

Bassett bent forward slightly at the question.

"I was there for an hour or so last spring; but I was in a hurry. I
didn't even take time to run into my fraternity house, though I saw its
banner on the outer wall."

"Your newspaper work must give you many interesting adventures,"
suggested the politician.

"Not always as pleasant as this, I assure you. But I'm a person of two
occupations--I'm studying law, and my visit to Montgomery was on an
errand for the office where I'm allowed to use the books in return for
slight services of one kind and another. As a newspaper man I'm
something of an impostor; I hope I'm only a passing pilgrim in the
business."

Dan faced Mrs. Bassett as he made this explanation, and he was