The judge was a substantial influence, strong in the councils of his party when he chose to be; and though of late years he had contented himself with voting at the polls, every one knew what weight he carried when he saw fit to bestir himself.
When he entered the parlor, he found the politicians in a state of subdued excitement.

Helen sat by the window, blushing, and talking eagerly to old Fisbee.

One of the gentlemen from Gaines County was walking about the room exclaiming, "A glorious conception! A glorious conception!" addressing the bric-a-brac, apparently.

(He thought the conception his own.) Mr.Martin was tugging at his beard and whispering to Landis and Homer, and the two Amo men were consulting in a corner, but as the judge came in, one of them turned and said loudly, "That's the man." "What man am I, Keating ?" asked Briscoe, cheerily.
"We better explain, I guess," answered the other; and turning to his compatriot: "You tell him, Boswell." "Well--it's this way--" said Boswell, and came at once to an awkward pause, turning aside sheepishly and unable to proceed.
"So that's the way of it, is it ?" said the old gentleman.
Helen laughed cheerfully, and looked about her with a courageous and encouraging eye.

"It is embarrassing," she said.