. The moon sailed high, and Dorothy
walked by my side and talked. There was an evident struggle in her to
bring me to her, to evoke the old ardor which had reached for her. But
we returned to Reverdy's at last, and there had been no touch of hands,
no tenderness. She stood momentarily at the gate. I gave her my hand,
and with an impassive goodnight, she turned to the door and I went my
way.

Then regret came over me. Had I wounded her? And if I had, could I win
her back? Did I wish to? I could not entirely bring myself to relinquish
Dorothy for good. But did I really care for Abigail? I took out her
letter and began to read it again in order to clear my thoughts: "Dear
James: You must be beginning to perceive that day by day you are
accomplishing certain things and thus forming your life. I admire
greatly the way you took hold of the farm and the success that you have
had with it; and I admire too the loyalty with which you have stood by
your duty. Now I cannot help but urge you to come to Chicago. I feel
something of a draw at times to return to the East; but, on the other
hand, this growing town has an increasing fascination for me. It is
already enlivened and bettered by many eastern people; and you would
find a more interesting atmosphere than where you live now. I think some
of the southern people who have settled middle Illinois are as fine as
any one I have ever known; but I do not like the habits and the
principles that go along with the southern institutions. If you could
sell the farm you could use the money to make a very large fortune in
Chicago. The campaign has interested me very greatly; it has been
riotous and colorful and full of extravagance. There is no real truth in
all this business. It is the lesser reality of deals and bargains,
wheedling, persuasion, and vote-getting. And no one has the gift of
specious logic and stump hypnotism better than Douglas. To me he is one
of the greatest of small men. Have you read Emerson or Lowell yet? Here
are new men of real thoughtfulness whose minds are upon the truth which
does not fade with passing events. These questions about Texas and
Oregon, about tariffs, about Whigs and Democrats, what are they but the
cackle of the moment? And yet there is something pathetic about Douglas.
Why does he not settle to the solid study and experiences of the law?
Why this catching at this and the other opportunity? Mr. Williams says
that Mr. Douglas has just accepted the Secre