f shrubs. That's what
destroys the strength of parties. If the whole Democratic party voted
for any one man or issue, we should always have a democratic government.
If the entire Republican party----"

"Listen to me, John Regis! Women are not parties. They are always
factions, little, little factions, the one working against the other,
because they have no really important issue at stake. Now, my arbor-vitae
trees----"

The door opened and a young girl stood upon the threshold hesitating, as
if she was not sure she was in the right place.

She was very tall, one of those cool, gray-eyed, ivory-skinned brunettes
who always remind the beholder of white lilies blooming in the dark. Her
lips were full, faintly pinkly purple, and affirmative, not beseeching.
She stood with one hand upon the knob behind her, bent a little forward,
the skirt of her white dress blown by the wind through the door, her
eyes showing almost black beneath the brim of her white hat.

"Selah! Is it for you we've been waiting?" This from Mrs. Walton.

"Come, Selah, you are almost late! That would have been a bad
beginning," said the Judge, rising, taking her hand and leading her to a
chair.

"You sent for me?" the girl said, as if there might still be some
mistake about that.

"Yes, yes! Sit down!"

"Mercy on us! What does the man mean? Do you know what he means, Selah,
sending for the oldest and ugliest and the youngest and fairest woman in
Jordantown to meet him in his office at this outrageous hour of the
afternoon?"

"How do you do, Mrs. Walton?" Selah greeted.

"I don't do at all, my dear; I'm tired of doing. I should be taking my
nap!"

For a moment after Selah Adams disappeared into Judge Regis's office the
hall outside was silent, a gloomy tunnel between gray walls with a
square light from the window at the end above the staircase. Then a
singular thing happened: the ground-glass door at which Susan had stared
with so much contempt opened very softly as if Silence himself was
behind it. The enormous head and face of a man appeared. His features
were concealed in fat, his nose merely protruded, a red knob with
nostrils in the end; his mouth was wide, sucked in above a great chin
covered with short black stubble; his jowls hung down, the back of his
neck rolled up, and the hair upon it stuck out like bristles.

He looked up and down the hall, listened. He opened the door wide, but
very softly, and came through it tiptoeing, a huge