Page:Duer Miller--The charm school.djvu/193

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The Charm School


brilliant prospects he did not like having his school taken away. "And you won't even offer me a job?" he said.

"You would be very valuable as an interviewer of parents."

"I did not make much of a hit with yours. Your mother treated me like a criminal."

"I had just telegraphed her not to allow Elise to see you under any circumstances."

"Yes," said Elise, "they made me go out of the house when they knew Austin was coming, so they could say truthfully that I wasn't in it. And so I just went and sat in the car and waited for him. Did you know that we were in love with each other, Miss Hayes?"

Miss Hayes smiled rather grimly. "I think most people knew about your feelings, Elise," she replied, "and I own that I suspected Mr. Bevans. Now you must go to bed, or you'll be seriously ill."

Elise turned to say good night to Austin. "Will you do something for me," she said, "as soon as you go into your cottage? Will you burn the picture of that horrid girl that stands on your desk and made me so unhappy?"

Austin hesitated just the fraction of a second. "I'd rather give it to a friend of

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