ng disgust at the result. As he set down his half-finished
tumbler, and turned to leave, he found Miss De Voe at his elbow, about
to take her morning glass.

"This is a very pleasant surprise," she said, holding out her hand.
"When did you arrive?"

"I only came last night."

"And how long shall you be here?"

"I cannot say. I am attending the convention, and my stay will depend on
that."

"Surely you are not a Democrat?" said Miss De Voe, a shade of horror
showing itself in her face, in spite of her good breeding. In those days
it was not, to put it mildly, a guarantee of respectability to belong to
that party, and Miss De Voe had the strong prejudices of her social
station, all the more because she was absolutely ignorant of political
events.

Peter said he was.

"How can you be? When a man can ally himself with the best, why should
he choose the worst?"

"I think," said Peter quietly, "that a Pharisee said the same thing, in
different words, many hundred years ago."

Miss De Voe caught her breath and flushed. She also became suddenly
conscious of the two girls who had come to the spring with her. They had
been forgotten in the surprise over Peter, but now Miss De Voe wondered
if they had heard his reply, and if they had enough Bible lore to enable
them to understand the reproof.

"I am sure you don't mean that," she said, in the sting of the moment.

"I am very sorry," said Peter, "if I made an unkind speech. What I
meant was that no one has a right to pick out the best for himself. I am
sure, from your letter to me, that you think a man should help those not
as well off as himself."

"Oh, but that is very different. Of course we should be charitable to
those who need our help, but we need not mix in their low politics."

"If good laws, and good administration can give the poor good food, and
good lodgings, don't you think the best charity is to 'mix' in politics,
and try to obtain such results?"

"I want you to know my two cousins," Miss De Voe replied. "Dorothy, I
wish to present Mr. Stirling. My cousin, Miss Ogden, and Miss Minna
Ogden."

Peter saw two very pretty girls, and made a bow to them.

"Which way are you walking?" asked Miss De Voe.

"I have been tramping merely for exercise," said Peter, "and stopped
here to try the spring, on my way to the United States."

"It is hardly worth while, but if you will get into our carriage, we
will drop you there. Or if you can spare the time, we w