ing the Theatre de
l'Odeon, where there was a long string of _fiacres_ for hire. They
got into one and in fifteen minutes they were back at the Grand
Hotel.

At the office they told Shirley that her aunt had already come in
and gone to her room, so she hurried upstairs to dress for dinner
while Jefferson proceeded to the Hotel de l'Athenee on the same
mission. He had still twenty-five minutes before dinner time, and
he needed only ten minutes for a wash and to jump into his dress
suit, so, instead of going directly to his hotel, he sat down at
the Cafe de la Paix. He was thirsty, and calling for a vermouth
_frappe_ he told the _garcon_ to bring him also the American
papers.

The crowd on the boulevard was denser than ever. The business
offices and some of the shops were closing, and a vast army of
employes, homeward bound, helped to swell the sea of humanity that
pushed this way and that.

But Jefferson had no eyes for the crowd. He was thinking of
Shirley. What singular, mysterious power had this girl acquired
over him? He, who had scoffed at the very idea of marriage only a
few months before, now desired it ardently, anxiously! Yes, that
was what his life lacked--such a woman to be his companion and
helpmate! He loved her--there was no doubt of that. His every
thought, waking and sleeping, was of her, all his plans for the
future included her. He would win her if any man could. But did
she care for him? Ah, that was the cruel, torturing uncertainty!
She appeared cold and indifferent, but perhaps she was only trying
him. Certainly she did not seem to dislike him.

The waiter returned with the vermouth and the newspapers. All he
could find were the London _Times_, which he pronounced T-e-e-m-s,
and some issues of the _New York Herald_. The papers were nearly a
month old, but he did not care for that. Jefferson idly turned
over the pages of the _Herald_. His thoughts were still running on
Shirley, and he was paying little attention to what he was
reading. Suddenly, however, his eyes rested on a headline which
made him sit up with a start. It read as follows:

JUDGE ROSSMORE IMPEACHED

JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT TO BE TRIED ON
BRIBERY CHARGES

The despatch, which was dated Washington two weeks back, went on
to say that serious charges affecting the integrity of Judge
Rossmore had been made the subject of Congressional inquiry, and
that the result of the in