There was a knock at the door of the private office.

"Come in," called the judge.

The door opened and the head clerk entered, ushering in Howard Jeffries,
Sr. The banker, still aristocratic and dignified, but looking tired and
care-worn, advanced into the room and shook hands with the judge, who
greeted him with a cordial smile. There was no response on the banker's
face. Querulously he demanded:

"Brewster, what's that woman doing out there again? It's not the first
time I've met her in this office."

Alicia looked up eagerly. "Is she out there now?" she cried.

"What right has she to come here? What's her object?" went on the banker
irritatedly.

The lawyer shrugged his shoulders.

"The same old thing," he replied. "She wants me to take her case."

The banker frowned.

"Didn't you tell her it was impossible?"

"That makes no difference," laughed the judge. "She comes just the same.
I've sent her away a dozen times. What am I to do if she insists on
coming? We can't have her arrested. She doesn't break the furniture or
beat the office boy. She simply sits and waits."

"Have you told her that I object to her coming here?" demanded the
banker haughtily.

"I have," replied the judge calmly, "but she has overruled your
objection." With a covert smile he added, "You know we can't use force."

Mr. Jeffries shrugged his shoulders impatiently.

"You can certainly use moral force," he said.

"What do you mean by moral force?" demanded the lawyer.

Mr. Jeffries threw up his hands as if utterly disgusted with the whole
business. Almost angrily he answered:

"Moral force is moral force. I mean persuasion, of course. Good God, why
can't people understand these things as I do?"

The judge said nothing, but turned to examine some papers on his desk.
He hardly liked the inference that he could not see things as plainly as
other people, but what was the use of getting irritated? He couldn't
afford to quarrel with one of his best clients.

Alicia looked at her husband anxiously. Laying her hand on his arm, she
said soothingly:

"Perhaps if I were to see her----"

Mr. Jeffries turned angrily.

"How can you think of such a thing? I can't permit my wife to come in
contact with a woman of that character."

Judge Brewster, who was listening in spite of the fact that he was
seemingly engrossed in his papers, pursed his lips.

"Oh, come," he said with a forced laugh, "she's not as bad as all that!"

"I'm sure