hief, felt a soft hand on his arm, and turned.
Theodosia Alston was looking up at him.

"Do you forget your friends so soon? I must add my good wishes. It was
splendid, what Mr. Jefferson said--and it was true!"

"I wish it might be true," said the young man. "I wish I might be
worthy of such a man."

"You are worthy of us all," returned Theodosia.

"People are kind to the condemned," said he sententiously.

At the door they were once more close to the others of the diplomatic
party who had sat in company at table. The usual crush of those
clamoring for their carriages had begun.

"My dear," said Mr. Merry to his irate spouse, "I shall, if Mrs.
Alston will permit, ask you to take her up in your carriage with you
to her home. I am to go with Mr Burr."

The Spanish minister made similar excuse to his own wife. Thus
Theodosia Alston left Meriwether Lewis for the second time that day.

It was a late conference, the one held that night at the home of the
Vice-President of the United States. Burr, cool, calculating, always
in hand, sat and weighed many matters well before he committed himself
beyond repair. His keen mind saw now, and seized the advantage for
which he waited.

"You say right, gentlemen, both of you," he began, leaning forward. "I
would not blame you if you never went to the White House again."

"Should I ever do so again," blazed the Spanish minister, "I will take
my own wife in to dinner on my own arm, and place her at the head of
the table, where she belongs! It was an insult to my sovereign that we
received today."

"As much myself, sir!" said Mr. Merry, his brows contracted, his face
flushed still with anger. "I shall know how to answer the next
invitation which comes from Mr Jefferson.[1] I shall ask him whether
or not there is to be any repetition of this sort of thing."

[Footnote 1: During the following winter Mr. Merry had opportunity to
fulfill his threat. In February, 1804, the President again invited him
to dine, in the following words:

"Thomas Jefferson asks the favor of Mr. Merry to dine with a small
party of friends on Monday, the 13th, at half past three."

Mr. Merry, still smarting all these months, stood on his dignity and
addressed his reply to the Secretary of State.

Reviewing at some length what seemed to him important events, he
added:

"If Mr. Merry should be mistaken as to the meaning of Mr. Jefferson's
note, and it should prove that the invitation is designed for