e courthouse, which suited his
purposes admirably for offices. The back apartment, which was entered
first, was a consulting room, and contained his library, while the front
one was his office proper. As a finishing touch John swung his sign over
the sidewalk below, then came upstairs and sat down by an open window
with a book. But his mind was not in a proper condition for either
reading or study. Dillard's revelation had proven a source of much
concern, and he had not been able to get away from it. In vain he tried
to argue with his conscience that the Dudleys were nothing to him, and
that he would have his hands full making his way in his new field of
labor. This course of reasoning proved futile. The sweet face and
trusting eyes of Julia dispelled the illusion, and he realized that he
had to take a hand in the game which Fate had prepared. The conviction
being established, the next thing was to work out the solution. But no
plan would come; he knew that he was bound and helpless.

It was an ideal mid-afternoon in summer, and as Glenning gazed
listlessly from the window he saw an almost deserted thoroughfare. A
negro lad went whistling down the opposite pavement, clattering a stick
along the iron palings of the courthouse fence; the leaves of the trees
in the courthouse yard hung motionless in the quiet atmosphere, and even
the ever-busy English sparrows seemed taking a siesta.

Directly several men emerged from one of the lawyer's offices which made
up three sides of Court Square. None of them wore coats, and one was
without either coat or vest. From the remainder of his apparel he was
evidently a farmer. An old man with a long, white beard, holding in his
hand a staff longer than himself. He was much excited, for he hopped
about in a bird-like way, wagging his whiskers and scratching his head
and ever and again thumping the earth with his staff. An altercation was
evidently in progress among the men, and the voice of the old fellow was
always loudest. He was plainly insisting upon a point which was meeting
with some resistance. Another party now joined the group, and Glenning
at once recognized Doctor Kale. As he made his appearance, the old
fellow with the rod danced up to him with a gesture almost threatening
and began a loud-voiced harangue. Doctor Kale was obdurate. He shook his
head and thumped about, and remained firm. He of the long whiskers was
rapidly working himself up to the fighting point, when a man wh