HORACE:  I could have squared it, even then, but for Madeline herself.  I told the policeman that she didn’t understand—­that I was her cousin, and apologized for her.  And she called over at me, ’Better apologize for yourself!’ As if there was any sense to that—­that she—­she looked like a tiger.  Honest, everybody was afraid of her.  I kept right on trying to square it, told the cop she was the granddaughter of the man that founded the college—­that you were her uncle—­he would have gone off with just the Hindu, fixed this up later, but Madeline balled it up again—­didn’t care who was her uncle—­Gee! (he throws open the window) There!  You can see them, at the foot of the hill.  A nice thing—­member of our family led off to the police station!

FEJEVARY:  (to the SENATOR) Will you excuse me?

AUNT ISABEL:  (trying to return to the manner of pleasant social things) Senator Lewis will go on home with me, and you—­(he is hurrying out) come when you can. (to the SENATOR) Madeline is such a high-spirited girl.

SENATOR:  If she had no regard for the living, she might—­on this day of all others—­have considered her grandfather’s memory.

(Raises his eyes to the picture of SILAS MORTON.)

HORACE:  Gee!  Wouldn’t you say so?

CURTAIN

ACT III

SCENE:  The same as Act II three hours later.  PROFESSOR HOLDEN is seated at the table, books before him.  He is a man in the fifties.  At the moment his care-worn face is lighted by that lift of the spirit which sometimes rewards the scholar who has imaginative feeling.  HARRY, a student clerk, comes hurrying in.  Looks back.

HARRY:  Here’s Professor Holden, Mr Fejevary.

HOLDEN:  Mr Fejevary is looking for me?

HARRY:  Yes.

(He goes back, a moment later MR FEJEVARY enters.  He has his hat, gloves, stick; seems tired and disturbed.)

HOLDEN:  Was I mistaken?  I thought our appointment was for five.

FEJEVARY:  Quite right.  But things have changed, so I wondered if I might have a little talk with you now.

HOLDEN:  To be sure. (rising) Shall we go downstairs?

FEJEVARY:  I don’t know.  Nice and quiet up here. (to HARRY, who is now passing through) Harry, the library is closed now, is it?

HARRY:  Yes, it’s locked.

FEJEVARY:  And there’s no one in here?

HARRY:  No, I’ve been all through.

FEJEVARY:  There’s a committee downstairs.  Oh, this is a terrible day. (putting his things on the table) We’d better stay up here.  Harry, when my niece—­when Miss Morton arrives—­I want you to come and let me know.  Ask her not to leave the building without seeing me.

HARRY:  Yes, sir. (he goes out)

FEJEVARY:  Well, (wearily) it’s been a day.  Not the day I was looking for.