at the top of the hill.

As they emerged upon the roof, they came face to face with Emmet.

"Hello!" Cobbens cried, as the two men shook hands. "Are you taking a
course in astronomy too?"

"Yes," replied the other, "and I'm just about going."

Their mutual cordiality of manner, somewhat in excess of the
requirements of conventional courtesy, struck Leigh with a sense of the
ridiculous. He had not anticipated a scene, but he had looked for some
coldness and restraint. The other visitors, with a curious glance in
passing, spread out over the roof or entered the cabin, but the
bishop's daughter remained behind. She shifted the candle to her left
hand, and offered her right to her _protege_ with charming courtesy.

"Has Mr. Leigh been casting your horoscope?" she asked, smiling. "I
hope he found your star in the ascendant."

Leigh did not wonder that Emmet appeared dazzled, or that his bold eyes
were a shade less bold in their embarrassed admiration.

"Thank you, Miss Wycliffe--I think we shall win."

"I hope so," she returned, with a momentary side-long look at Cobbens.
The lawyer's eyes were upon her, and as Leigh caught their hungry
glimmer, he remembered with a sharp contraction of the heart that he
was a widower, and that sometimes the most hideous men possess a
compelling fascination for women of great beauty.

"Oh, astrology is out of date," Cobbens broke in, with an easy chuckle.
"Isn't it, professor?"

"Yes," Leigh retorted, "but I believe politics is not."

The laughter with which this remark was greeted indicated the real
tension that underlay all this appearance of good feeling.

"Politics is never out of date," Emmet declared, with grim emphasis,
"as we mean to show you soon."

"Politics is like poker," Cobbens commented sententiously. "Just now
we 're raising the ante, but presently there 'll be a show down, and
may the best hand win."

"We ask nothing better," Emmet assured him, moving toward the stairs.
"Good-night. I must be off."

"Wait a moment!" Miss Wycliffe called after him. "Here--take this
candle to light your way, and may good luck go with it."

Emmet had already begun to descend the stairs when her voice arrested
him. He turned as she approached, and because of his lower position
her form hid him entirely from the view of the two men she had just
left. Leigh saw the fur edge of her wrap standing out like a mist
against the flaring light of the candle as she stooped to h