“Hold on, then.  It must not go in its present shape.”

Reid at once laid the message down on his desk, and turned to other work, feeling assured that it was all right if Quintin and McLaren were interrupting its transit.  In the meanwhile McLaren had pushed Tom into a small private room adjoining, and the younger man heard for the first time that he had been elected to the chair of Greek at the Monastery.  Then heavy steps were heard and Billy Sparrow rushed into the room exclaiming:  “Tom, what have you done?”

“Father,” said the young man, “I did what I thought was best.  They kindly offered me an honorable place at Burrough Road, and I had no expectation of anything of the kind here, and really did not think that anyone would object, so I accepted; that is all there is to it.  I am truly sorry if you don’t like what I have done.  Had I known it, I might not have been so quick in replying. But it is now too late, and we must make the best of it.  But you must remember my future wife is in England.”

“No!  No!” interrupted Quintin, “It is not too late,” and he held up the unsent message.  “It has not been sent.  Here it is, and your acceptance would be the most unnatural and ungrateful thing you could do.  Here is your father and mother.  Here is one, who has been to you more than a brother, and here is the fostermother that has fitted you for your great career, and now offers you one of her most important professorships.  We are all aware that the girl who is to be your future wife is in England, but think you that Eleen would urge you because of that to make the sacrifice that your acceptance of the Burrough Road professorship demands?  No.  She would say:  ’We are young.  We can wait.  Stay with your father and mother a while—­it will be best.’”

Tom was visibly affected, and after a moment’s silence he turned to McLaren.  “Carl,” he said, “take the blank and fill it out as you think best.  You can sign my name,” and taking Leon by the hand, together they went out, descended the stairs, and started homeward.

Without a word, McLaren took the blank and wrote:  “Honor appreciated, but cannot accept.  T. Sparrow, Professor of Greek, Monastery University.”

Thus ended a most eventful day at the Monastery.

Quintin was not to be seen.  His work for the day was ended when Tom told McLaren to fill out the cablegram; he had slipped away and by this time was in his bed, but not before he had told Cyrus to take the party back to the farm.