"There's no need to,' interrupted Judge Avery. He lifted his long thin hand from the table. 'Don't try. I'll be through now, in just a minute. You must let me finish about Immanuel. I rather like Immanuel! I almost feel as if I'd invented him for you!' His smile was hard and bright with a little curl at the corners. 'Now what was I going to say? Oh, yes - I wanted to tell you about our play.

'Somewhere I'd picked up the story of King Agamemnon and the wily Ægisthus who killed him and married the faithless Queen Clytemnestra and, one dull afternoon when Immanuel and Kinsey and little Pollock were loafing in my room, I conceived the idea of putting the story into a play. I thought it would be amusing to see Immanuel act the part of his father, and I explained to him carefully just what sort of a silly ass Agamemnon was and how Clytemnestra fooled him. I remember I took particular pleasure in rolling out the word "Agamemnon"; little Kinsey and Pollock were tremendously pleased and Immanuel stood there with that foolish, halffrightened, expectant look he always had when we made fun of his father. But, when it came to acting the part, he rebelled and, of course, that made me angry and all the more persistent. I told him he'd have to do it or he could n't go about with me any longer, but even that threat did n't seem to make any difference; he only stood there shaking his head, his queer little weasel face very sharp and pinched, his eyes flickering with a dumbanimal refusal. I remember it made

me quite angry. I felt in some way as if Immanuel were threatening my prestige, depriving me of a satisfaction to which I was entitled. And so, to punish him, I began to imitate his father myself. Little Pollock and Kinsey went into screams on the bed and I rather expected Immanuel to laugh before I was through: laughing had always been his final mode of defense. But he did n't: he only stood there looking down, his stubby fingers twisting at the absurd pearl buttons his mother had sewed on his coat. So I went on, getting more and more savage as I went; it seemed as if his very speechlessness, the fumbling inarticulate motion of his hands, filled me with rage. I must have gone on for five minutes or so, when suddenly he hunched up his shoulders and lifted his arm to his face, and then ran to the door with a queer little squeak like a bat that's been hit with a towel. I heard someone calling after him in the hall and the next minute Danforth came to the door.

""What's the matter with Pleasants?" he said.

'I felt startled and rather uncomfortable at Danforth's sudden appearance: he was captain of the baseball team, and one of the leaders of the school. He'd never paid much attention to me. Well, I put my hands in my pockets and walked over toward him. "Nothing, Danforth," I said. "We were horsing Pleasants a little, that's all. He can't take a joke." I shook my head in a superior manner. "He needs hardening up, I should say."

""You think so!" Danforth looked at me with perfectly frank disgust. "I should say you needed it a bit yourself! Lying around all afternoon with a lot of kids when you ought to be out in the field! Why don't you take someone your size?" He waited a minute and then walked away. "You

let Pleasants alone," he said when he reached the door. "It 's filthy the way you devil the younger boys. When I get through practice this afternoon I'll put on the gloves with you, if you still feel you have to harden someone up!" He gave me an ugly smile and then disappeared down the hall.

'Well, I felt pretty sick. I remember that very clearly, but, unfortunately, what I don't remember is that it did me any permanent good. It was not until long after I was grown that I learned my lesson; and then, strangely enough, it took old Melchior Van Zandt and a little lawyer like Kardos to teach me. I don't suppose you remember Melchior Van Zandt. He was the leader of the bar in my time; and the kind of man we 're not likely to see again.' The judge shook his head. "The day of outstanding personalities has gone, I'm afraid. A high level reduces the lofty peaks-I believe that's the explanation given. You can take it or not, as you like. To me, at times, the plateau does n't seem so high. Of course, that may be only age: the old are apt to see the great men of their youth through the eyes of their youth and they loom very large. However,' he shrugged his shoulders, -'I must tell you about Melchior Van Zandt and the lawyer like Kardos.' He leaned forward a little, a cold stealthy watchfulness in his eyes. 'I think I'd been on the bench just about as long as you have when it happened.'

Judge Rodenbaugh lowered his head, stared at the carpet with an angry frown. Then he rose, thrust his hands into his pockets, his face turned away, his chin sunk in a heavy fold between the square points of his collar. 'I don't propose, Judge,' he began. His grating voice had an ugly snarl that sounded like the snapping of empty jaws. 'I don't propose to listen to this kind of

'Oh, yes, I have!' said Judge Avery. 'Sit down, please.' He paused. 'Sit down, I said!' His voice leaped like a sharp blue flame through the room. 'When the vessels of the law become old crockery, there's a certain courtesy due them, and that I intend to have from you.' He stretched out his hand. "Take your seat, please, and listen until I've finished.'

For an instant Judge Rodenbaugh's stare met his; then it wavered, seemed to turn sullenly inward. 'You presume on your age,' he said, in a husky voice.. He sat down awkwardly. ‘Also, I think you 're presuming on my intelligence. If you have any more to say, will you kindly be brief? I don't care to spend the afternoon listening to stories of childhood.'

'My childhood,' corrected the judge. 'I would n't presume to intrude on yours.' He looked pleasantly across the table. I only presume on my age, as you said that, and a certain feeling for what I believe is called the art of narration. Quite a remarkable art; I admit I practise it very badly. But. that does n't matter so long as I hold your attention. And what old Melchior Van Zandt said to me is worthy of your attention.

'I'd been on the bench just about a month when it happened. I was older than you are, and I'd tried quite a number of cases. But, nevertheless, I was developing that splendid sense of power you spoke of so feelingly just a moment ago. There was a little lawyer who came into my court in those days he's dead now - who was rather

like Kardos, and he irritated me the way Kardos irritates you. I remember one morning when I had a full list, he came bustling into the courtroom with a great cloud of witnesses behind him and that air of his, of terrible absurd importance, which, in view of his hopeless incompetence, always annoyed me intensely. Well, his case was reached that afternoon and when I called it, he came fussing up to the bar with his greasy frock-coat buttoned about him and began to splutter at me, the way he always did. He had a high squeaky voice, and his words seemed to come out in bunches, as if he blew them out from the back of his mouth. "Mr. Stover," I said, - the very sight of him made me angry, "as far as I can gather from what you say, you want to butcher another case for us this afternoon." Then I looked around and waited for the laugh.

'Of course it came. It always does when the judge makes a joke. I grinned down at Stover and he wrinkled his forehead, then gave me a sallow little smile. "As long as your Honor's made a shambles out of the court, I suppose I might as well begin," he said.' The judge shook his head. 'Pretty good, was n't it?' he laughed. 'He did n't leave me much to say! After Court old Melchior came stumping into my chambers swinging his big green bag at his side like a Herculesclub. "Avery!" he grunted. "You deserved what you got this afternoon." He put his bag down on the table. "I did n't think little Stover had it in him. Remember!" He shook his head at me - he had hair like the mane of an old gray lion. "The bench is the coward's castle, my boy. You 're safe, and the other man is n't." Then he picked up his bag and stumped out.'

The judge sighed, smoothed his hair thoughtfully, passed his hand over his cheek. 'It all seems so very long ago,'

he said. 'I'm afraid in recalling the facts I may have been just a little vague. I only hope that I have n't bored you.' He paused, then settled back in his chair, touched the tips of his fingers together. 'And, now, what did you want to discuss with me?'

'Nothing,' Judge Rodenbaugh answered. He rose with a hesitant awkwardness, his face turned away. 'I've heard that story about the shambles before. Unfortunately for the truth of your autobiography it's never been connected with you.'

'Indeed?' said Judge Avery brightly. 'I must have made it my own then. It's not a bad story, though, is it?'

'No,' said the judge. He walked to the doorway. 'Walrath!' he called. 'Ask Mr. Kardos to step over, will you?' He turned sharply about. 'I've listened to you; now I'll ask you to wait until Kardos comes and then listen to me!'

'Certainly,' said Judge Avery.

III

'Mr. Mercer's here,' said Walrath. "Mr. Kardos is on his way over. Do you want Mr. Mercer to come in?'

'No, I'll talk to him in the courtroom.' The judge rose from his chair and plunged through the doorway, the curtains dropping with a swift flap behind him. His voice reached the chamber the next moment, subdued to a low murmur from beyond the bench.

Judge Avery put down the Report, smiled quietly, and smoothed his upper lip. On the whole, he had done a good job. Rodenbaugh had wriggled, to be sure, but he had held the knife firm, cut to the proper depth. Surprising how his imagination had gone on; he never remembered letting it wander so far before unaccompanied by facts. Reading the Electra last night must have been responsible for Agamemnon

come up and you get something maybe you overlooked when you came to court. So I just suggest' - he lifted a handan idea, maybe, here and there—something that comes to me, maybe, on the spot. Of course, I know your Honor thinks it takes up time, but' he cocked his head to one side 'I get splendid results!'

"You do, eh! I wish I saw some of them in my court!' Judge Rodenbaugh's little eyes gleamed balefully.

"Your Honor has n't heard me try many cases,' Kardos said. His smile was almost benevolent in its assurance. 'Where I live I get most of the business now of that kind.'

'You do, eh?' The judge grunted. "That does n't speak well for your neighborhood! From the way you talk you sound to me very much like a fool! Why don't you prepare your cases instead of trying them by mental telepathy?'

Kardos laughed. To Judge Avery, watching his face, he did n't seem at all disconcerted. "Your Honor has a forceful way of putting things,' he said. 'If your Honor will permit me to say so, I don't think your Honor quite understands what I mean.'

'No, and you don't yourself. How could you when you think round and round like a mule tied up in a field!' The judge grinned, shot a glance at Judge Avery. 'What you need, Kardos, is direction, straightness of mental line. I'm afraid your mind 's built on a circular pattern."

'Wheels?' said Kardos.

'Within wheels,' Rodenbaugh answered. 'In my opinion you're not fit to appear before any sensible jury. You ought to practise trying cases on a phonograph in the privacy of your home. You could encumber the record then all you liked.' He looked at Judge Avery again.

Kardos caught the glance and a

little grin touched the corners of his lips. He gazed at Judge Rodenbaugh with sharp motionless eyes. 'Your Honor says very smart things,' he observed, in a tone of impersonal appreciation. 'I suppose that's the reason we all like to try in your Honor's court.'

'What?'

'I suppose that's the reason we all like to bring our cases before your Honor.'

'You do, eh! Well, I don't know about that!' The viciousness faded from the judge's voice, and he stretched out his legs and looked tolerantly at Kardos. My tongue may be just a little bit quick, but you fellows need it sometimes.'

"That's true, Judge!' Kardos nodded his head. 'Your Honor always gives us what we deserve. And besides, Judge,' - the motionless lustre of his eyes seemed to break into tiny points, - 'we like a little amusement in the courtroom.'

"Yes?' The judge thrust out his lower lip. 'Well, you furnish it all right.'

'And so does your Honor.'