Judge Trott blushed. “I am afraid I saw only—an—outline.”

“I had on,” continued Miss Clotilde rapidly, “a straw hat, with magenta silk lining, turned up so—magenta ribbons tied here”—indicating her round throat—“a reg’lar ’Frisco hat—don’t you remember?”

“I—that is—I am afraid—”

“And one of them figgered silk ‘Dollar Vardens,”’ continued Miss Clotilde anxiously.

Judge Trott smiled politely, but vaguely. Miss Clotilde saw that he evidently had not recognized this rare and becoming costume. She scattered the leaves again and dug her parasol into the ground.

“Then you never saw me at all?”

“Never distinctly.”

“Ef it’s a fair question betwixt you and me,” she said suddenly, “what made you resign?”

“I could not remain Judge of a court that was obliged to record a verdict so unjust as that given by the jury in your case,” replied Judge Trott warmly.

“Say that ag’in, old man,” said Miss Clotilde, with an admiration which half apologized for the irreverence of epithet.

Judge Trott urbanely repeated the substance of his remark in another form.

Miss Montmorency was silent a moment. “Then it wasn’t me?” she said finally.

“I don’t think I catch your meaning,” replied the Judge, a little awkwardly.

“Why—ME. It wasn’t on account of me you did it?”

“No,” said the Judge pleasantly.

There was another pause. Miss Montmorency balanced her parasol on the tip of her toe. “Well,” she said finally, “this isn’t getting much information for Jake.”

“For whom?”

“Jake.”

“Oh—your husband?”

Miss Montmorency clicked the snap of her bracelet smartly on her wrist and said sharply, “Who said he was ‘my husband?”’

“Oh, I beg your pardon.”

“I said Jake Woods. He’s a square man—I can say that for him. He sez to me, ‘You kin tell the Judge that whatever he chooses to take from us— it ain’t no bribery nor corruption, nor nothin’ o’ that kind. It’s all on the square. The trial’s over; he isn’t Judge any longer; he can’t do anything for us—he ain’t expected to do anything for us but one thing. And that is to give us the satisfaction of knowing that he hasn’t lost anything by us— that he hasn’t lost anything by being a square man and acting on the square.’ There! that’s what he said. I’ve said it! Of course I know what you’ll say. I know you’ll get wrathy. I know you’re mad now! I know you’re too proud to touch a dollar from the like of us—if you were starving. I know you’ll tell Jake to go to hell, and me with him! And who the hell cares?”