was short, only served
to increase my impatience the more. I could not assign any cause for
this other than my wish to see Julianna, for now I knew in my mind and
heart, by reason and by instinct, that the Judge had been right, that
once having given her love she had given all, and, with that noble and
perhaps pathetic trait of fine women, would never change.

At last I found myself at her door, at last she herself had opened it,
and was smiling at me--as beautiful, more beautiful, than I had ever
seen her. I remember that, with an innocent and spontaneous outburst of
affection, she caught my hand in hers and tucked it under her soft round
arm in playful symbolism of capture.

"You must not say a word to me," she said. "I have never been so happy!
But he is in there. He wants to see you alone and you must hurry."

"Hurry?" I protested.

"I don't know why," she said, with a nervous little laugh. "I suppose
it's because I want you to talk to him and come to me as quickly as you
can."

Then, with a gentle pressure from behind, she pushed me through the
curtains into the familiar study and I heard her feet scampering up the
soft carpet on the broad, black-walnut stairs.

The Judge was sitting in his easy-chair beside the table. A book was
open on his knees, a long-stemmed pipe was on the chair arm, and the
gray and grizzled old dog lay, with head on paws, at his feet. Above him
a huge wreath of thin smoke hung in the air. Had I been a painter, I
should have wished to lay that picture upon canvas, because seldom
could one see expressed so completely the evening of an honest day and
of an honorable life, the tranquillity of home, the comfort of
meditation, the affection for faithful dog, old volume, and seasoned
pipe.

As he looked up at me, however, it suddenly seemed to me that he had
grown old; behind his smile of warm greeting I fancied I could observe a
haunted look, the ghostly flickering forth of some unwelcome thought
held in the subconsciousness.

"Why, Estabrook!" he cried, when he had seen me. "Bless my soul, I
didn't know you would be so prompt. I have understood that young men
approached these interviews with reluctance."

"You forget, sir," I answered, knowing that he would have a jest at my
expense, "that we made the arrangement in advance."

"We did! We did! That's a fact. But I had no idea that you would be
successful, at least so soon, and if I may say it--so--so--precipitously."

"I plead the