calling in between things, and found Gila inscrutable.  All he could gather was that she was very, very angry with Courtland, hopelessly so, and that she considered him worth no more effort on her part.  She was languidly interested in Tennelly and accepted his invitation to the dance that evening most graciously.  She had expected to go in Courtland’s company, but now if he repented and came to claim his right she would ignore it.

But Courtland had taken Gila at her word.  He had no idea of claiming any former engagement with her.  She had cut him off forever, and he must abide by it.  Courtland had spent the night upon his knees in the little sacred room at the end of the hall.  He was much stronger to face things than he had been when he left her.  So when he met Gila walking with Tennelly he lifted his hat courteously and passed on, his face grave and stern as when she had last seen him, but in no way showing other sign that he had suffered or repented his choice.  Pat, walking by his side, looked furtively at Gila then keenly at his companion, and winked to his inner consciousness.

“She’s the poor simp that did the business!  And she looks her part, b’leeve me!” he told himself.  “But he’ll get over that!  He’s too big to miss her long!”

Although there was pain in these days that followed Courtland’s choice, there was also great peace in his heart.  He seemed to have grown older, counting days as years, and to have a wider vision on life.  Love of woman was gone out of his life, he thought, forever!  Love wasn’t an illusion quite as he had thought.  No!  But Gila had not loved him, or she never would have made him choose as she did!  That was plain.  If she had not loved, then it was better he should go out of her life!  He was glad that the university days were over, and he might begin a new environment somewhere.  He felt something strong within his soul pushing him on to a decision.  Was it the Voice calling him again, leading up to what he was to do?

This thought was uppermost in his mind during the Commencement, which beforehand had meant so much to him; which all the four years had been the goal to which he had been urging forward.  Now that it was here he seemed to have gone beyond it, somehow, and found it to be but a little detail by the way, a very small matter not worth stopping and making so much fuss about.  Of course, if Gila had loved him; if she had been going to be there watching for him when he came forward to take his diploma; if she were to be listening when he delivered that oration upon which he had spent so much time and for which he received so much commendation, that would have meant everything to him a few brief days ago—­of course, then it would have been different!  But as it was he wondered that everybody seemed so much interested in things and took so much trouble for a lot of nonsense.

Courtland was surprised to see his father come into the great hall just as he went up on the platform with his class.  He hadn’t expected his father.  He was a busy man who did not get away from his office often.