her while he set out a chair.

The girl drew the chair close to his desk and sat down. "I know
nothing about accidents," she said quietly. Then, turning quite from
that topic, she drew the President quickly into her thought and
carried him off with her as on a magic carpet.

The man listened in rapt attention. From time to time he turned and
stared at his strange visitor. At other times he made notes of points
which impressed him. Once he interrupted, when she made reference to
her past life. "This priest, Jose de Rincon, might he not have been
imprisoned as a political offender?"

"I do not know," the girl replied tenderly. "My foster-father,
Rosendo, did not mention him in the two letters which I have
received."

The President nodded; and the girl went rapidly on. Soon she was deep
in the problem presented by Avon.

But at the mention of that town, and of its dominating genius, the
President seemed to become nervous. At length he raised a hand, as if
to end the interview.

"I fear I can do nothing at present," he said with an air of
helplessness. "My influence is quite limited."

"But," she protested, "you have the public welfare at heart. And can
you not see that public welfare is the welfare of each individual?"

"I know Mr. Ames well," the President replied, somewhat irrelevantly.
"He, like all men of great wealth, presents a serious problem,
doubtless. But he himself, likewise, is confronted by problems of very
trying natures. We must give him time to work them out."

The girl sighed. "It's like getting at the essence of Christianity,"
she said. "The world has had nearly two thousand years in which to do
that, but it hasn't made much of a start as yet. How much time does
Mr. Ames require? And how many more lives must he sacrifice?"

"But," the President resumed reflectively, "after all, it is the
people who are wholly responsible for the conditions which exist among
them. They have the means of remedying every economic situation, the
ballot. It is really all in their hands, is it not? They elect their
public officers, their judges, and their lawmakers."

Again the girl sighed. "You too," she said, "take refuge in the cant
of the age. Yes, the people do try to elect public servants; but by
some strange anomaly the servant becomes master the moment he enters
the door of office. His thought then centers upon himself. And then
they, and you, sit helplessly back and cry, No use! And if the people
rise, th