do but sit and wait for the arrival of Stott
and Shirley. They were to be expected any moment now. The
passengers had probably got off the steamer by eleven o'clock. It
would take at least two hours to get through the Customs and out
to Massapequa. The judge and his wife sat on the porch counting
the minutes and straining their ears to catch the first sound of
the train from New York.

"I hope Stott broke the news to her gently," said the judge.

"I wish we had gone to meet her ourselves," sighed his wife.

The judge was silent and for a moment or two he puffed vigorously
at his pipe, as was his habit when disturbed mentally. Then he
said:

"I ought to have gone, Martha, but I was afraid. I'm afraid to
look my own daughter in the face and tell her that I am a
disgraced man, that I am to be tried by the Senate for corruption,
perhaps impeached and turned off the bench as if I were a
criminal. Shirley won't believe it, sometimes I can't believe it
myself. I often wake up in the night and think of it as part of a
dream, but when the morning comes it's still true--it's still
true!"

He smoked on in silence. Then happening to look up he noticed that
his wife was weeping. He laid his hand gently on hers.

"Don't cry, dear, don't make it harder for me to bear. Shirley
must see no trace of tears."

"I was thinking of the injustice of it all," replied Mrs.
Rossmore, wiping her eyes.

"Fancy Shirley in this place, living from hand to mouth," went on
the judge.

"That's the least," answered his wife. "She's a fine, handsome
girl, well educated and all the rest of it. She ought to make a
good marriage." No matter what state of mind Mrs. Rossmore might
be in, she never lost sight of the practical side of things.

"Hardly with her father's disgrace hanging over her head," replied
the judge wearily. "Who," he added, "would have the courage to
marry a girl whose father was publicly disgraced?"

Both relapsed into another long silence, each mentally reviewing
the past and speculating on the future. Suddenly Mrs. Rossmore
started. Surely she could not be mistaken! No, the clanging of a
locomotive bell was plainly audible. The train was in. From the
direction of the station came people with parcels and hand bags
and presently there was heard the welcome sound of carriage wheels
crunching over the stones. A moment later they saw coming round
the bend in the road a cab piled up with small baggage.

"Here they are! Here the