But the brilliant young man’s name, once thrown into the arena, could no more be withdrawn than the fisherman of legend could restore the genie to the bottle, or Pandora get her pretty gifts back into the box again.  There was the idea, fairly out and vastly alluring.  The kindly directors pressed it home.  No doubt they, as well as Plonny Neal, appreciated that Blaines College did not give the young man a fair field for his talents; and certainly they knew with admiration the articles with which he sometimes adorned the columns of their paper.  Of all the directors, they now pointed out, he had stood closest to Colonel Cowles, and was most familiar with the traditions and policies of the Post.  Their urgings increased in force and persistence; perhaps they felt encouraged by a certain want of finality in the young man’s tone; and at length West was compelled to make yet another statement.

He was, he explained, utterly disconcerted at the turn the discussion had taken, and found the situation so embarrassing that he must ask his friends, the directors, to extricate him from it at once.  The editorship of the Post was an office which he, personally, had never aspired to, but it would be presumption for him to deny that he regarded it as a post which would reflect honor upon any one.  He was willing to admit, in this confidential circle, moreover, that he had taken up college work chiefly with the ambition of assisting Blaines over a critical year or two in its history, and that, to put it only generally, he was not indefinitely bound to his present position.  But under the present circumstances, as he said, he could not consent to any discussion of his name; and unless the directors would agree to drop him from further consideration, which he earnestly preferred, he must reluctantly suggest adjournment.

“An interregnum,” said Mr. Hickok, looking out of the window, “is an unsatisfactory, not to say a dangerous thing.  Would it not be better, since we are gathered for that purpose, to take decisive action to-day?”

“What is your pleasure, gentlemen?” inquired Chairman Byrd.

Mr. Hickok was easily overruled.  The directors seized eagerly on Mr. West’s suggestion.  On motion of Mr. Hopkins, seconded by Mr. Shorter and Mr. Porter, the meeting stood adjourned to the third day following at noon.

On the second day following the Post carried the interesting announcement that Mr. West had resigned from the presidency of Blaines College, a bit of news which his friends read with sincere pleasure.  The account of the occurrence gave one to understand that all Mr. West’s well-known persuasiveness had been needed to force the trustees to accept his resignation.  And when James E. Winter read this part of it, at his suburban breakfast, he first laughed, and then swore.  The same issue of the Post carried an editorial, mentioning in rather a sketchy way the benefits Mr. West had conferred upon Blaines