covering those miles for the second time, to-day's paragraph
appeared. I hastened to accuse its author of libel, but the result was
hardly what I expected. Perhaps you know what he said."

"No," she harshly returned, "I do not." And with the instinctive gesture
of one awaiting attack she raised her now sleepy and nodding child in
front of her laboring breast, with a look in her eyes which I see yet.

"He said--pardon me, your Honor, pardon me, Madam--that I was at liberty
to point out what was false in it."

With a leap she was on her feet, towering above us all in her
indignation and overpowering revolt against the man who was the
conscious instrument of this insult. The child, loosened so suddenly
from her arms, tottered and would have fallen, had not Mr. Steele leaned
forward and drawn the little one across to himself. Mr. Packard, who, we
must remember, had been more or less prepared for what his secretary had
to say, cast a glance at his wife, teeming with varied emotions.

"And what did you reply to that?" were the words she hurled at the
unabashed secretary.

"Nothing," was his grave reply. "I did not know myself what was false in
it."

With sudden faltering, Mrs. Packard reseated herself, while the mayor,
outraged by what was evidently a very unexpected answer, leaned forward
in great anger, crying:

"That was not the account you gave me of this wretched interview.
Explain yourself, Mr. Steele. Don't you see that your silence at such
a moment, to say nothing of the attitude you at present assume, is an
insult to Mrs. Packard?"

The smile he met in reply was deprecatory enough; so were the words his
outburst had called forth.

"I did not mean, and do not mean to insult Mrs. Packard. I am merely
showing you how hampered a man is, whatever his feelings, when it
comes to a question of facts known only to a lady with whom he has not
exchanged fifty words since he came into her house. If Mrs. Packard will
be good enough to inform me just how much and how little is true in the
paragraph we are considering, I shall see this rascally reporter again
and give him a better answer."

Mayor Packard looked unappeased. This was not the way to soothe a woman
whom he believed to be greatly maligned. With an exclamation indicative
of his feelings, he was about to address some hasty words to the
composed, almost smiling, man who confronted him, when Mrs. Packard
herself spoke with unexpected self-control, if not disdai