"Do you think you can button it here better than in your own room?" the Judge asked, straightening up and looking at him. "Has this office been set aside as a sort of dressing parade ground for you?" William was muttering and fuming. "I was Judge Lynch out West, once, and was about to set a horse-thief free, but just then I incidentally heard that he had sold collars and I ordered him hanged. Did you speak to me, John?" "I asked you a question." "I knew a Universalist preacher that changed his religion on account of a collar—swore that its inventor must necessarily go to the flames. What was the question you asked me, John?" "One that would have no more effect on you than a drop of water on the back of a mole." William buttoned his collar, tied his cravat, took a seat opposite his brother and looked hard at him. "John, I see that your temper hasn’t improved. And you have got up early to turn it loose on me. Now, what have I done? Hah, what have I done?" "I have never heard of your doing anything, William." "That’s intended as an insult. Oh, I understand you. You never heard of my doing anything. You haven’t? You never heard of my electing two governors out West. You bat your eyes at the fact that I sent a man to the United States Senate. Why, at one time I owned the whole state of Montana, and a man who had never done anything couldn’t—couldn’t make that sort of showing." "What did you do with the state?" "What did I do with it? A nice question to ask a man. What did Adam do with the Garden of Eden?" "You were not driven out of Montana, were you?" "Driven out? Who said I was driven out?" "But Adam was driven out of the garden." "Oh, yes, of course. I merely spoke of the Garden of Eden for the reason that Adam’s claim on it was only sentimental, if I may call it such. I mean that I owned the good opinion of every man in the state. I could have had anything within the gift of the commonwealth." "Then, why didn’t you go to the Senate, or elect yourself governor? Why were you so thoughtless a prodigal of your influence?" "That’s a nice question to ask a man. Why didn’t you buy an acre in this town that would have made you worth millions? Why didn’t I go to the Senate? I had something else on my mind. Every man is not ambitious to hold office. There’s something higher than politics. I was educated for a different sphere of action. I was, as you know, educated for a preacher, but my faith slipped from under me. But it is of no use to talk to you." "Not much, William, I admit." "But can’t you tell me why this peculiar change has come over you? It worries me, and you know why." The Judge made a gesture. "Don’t—it’s not that. My mind is perfectly sound." "Then, what’s the trouble?" "I can’t tell you." "Am I ever to know?" "I hope not." "I don’t see why you should give me the keen edge of your temper and not tell me the cause that led you to whet it against me."