“Oh--nonsense!” cried young Hollister. “You’ll get along all right.” “I can’t come, Mr. Hollister,” said George, suddenly recovering his self-possession. Perhaps the fashionable young man’s misunderstanding of his diffidence may have helped. Helm went on with the natural dignity and grace that makes the acquired sort look what it is, “It’s very kind of your father and Judge Powers to ask me. But I can’t.” “_I’m_ asking you,” weakly blustered Barton. “My father’s got nothing to do with it. As for Judge Powers, I can’t see why you drag _him_ in.” The calm, honest look of George Helm’s deep-set eyes was not easy to bear, as he explained without a trace of anger: “I met your sister and her friend on the street the day after the election last fall. They made it plain that they had ceased to know me----” “But,” interrupted Bart, “that was the day after the election, when everybody was hot in the collar. We’ve all cooled down.” “I’ve come back here to go into politics again,” said George. “And I’ve got to say and do things that’ll make you and your relatives madder than ever----” “What for?” cried Bart. “I say, Helm, what’s the use of being so devilish personal and unpleasant? Why stir things up and make trouble for yourself? Why not join our party and jog along quietly and comfortably?” Helm laughed good-humoredly. “Let’s say it’s because I was born a contentious cuss and can’t change my nature. No, Hollister--you don’t want me at your house.” Hollister was convinced. But his father’s orders had been positive, had made no provision for failure. He persisted as best he could: “You can’t think we’re trying to buy you with a dinner?” “I think I’m too good-natured not to sell out for a dinner--and that sort of thing--if I put myself in the way of temptation.” “What rot! You’ll come? Nell Clearwater will be terribly disappointed. She took quite a shine to you.” George Helm laughed. “I shave myself, Hollister. I see myself every morning. I’m not for the ladies, nor they for me.” “Oh, hell! A woman doesn’t care what a man looks like. They’d rather a man wouldn’t be handsome, so he’ll think about them instead of about himself. The way to please a woman is to help her to think of nothing but herself.” “I’m not a ladies’ man,” said Helm.