By dint of squeezing and stertorous declarations of her desire, Mrs. Earle obtained a gradual passage through the crowd.  Many from the audience had ascended to the platform for the purpose of accosting the speakers, and a large share of the interest was being bestowed on Mr. Lyons, who was holding an impromptu reception.  When at last Mrs. Earle had worked her way to within a few feet of him, her wheezing condition and bulk announced her approach, and procured her consideration from the others in the line, so that she was able to plant herself pervasively and firmly in front of her idol and take possession of him by the fervid announcement, “You were simply unanswerable.  Eloquent, convincing, and unanswerable.  And I have brought with me an old friend, Mrs. Littleton, who sympathizes with your superb utterances, and wishes to tell you so.”

As Selma stepped forward in recognition of this introduction she vibrated to hear Mr. Lyons say, without a sign of hesitation, “A friend whom it is a pleasure to welcome back to Benham, Mrs. Littleton, I am pleased to meet you again.”

Selma had hoped, and felt it her due, that he would recognize her.  Still his having done so at once was a compliment which served to enhance the favorable opinion which she had already formed regarding him.

“I have been longing for months, Mr. Lyons,” she said, “to hear someone say what you have said to-night.  I am concerned, as we all are of course, in Miss Bailey’s election, and your advocacy of her cause was most brilliant; but what I refer to—­what interested, me especially, was the splendid protest you uttered against all movements to prevent the intelligence of the people from asserting itself.  It gave me encouragement and made me feel that the outlook for the future is bright—­that our truths must prevail.”

It was a maxim with Lyons that it was desirable to remember everyone he met, and he prided himself on his ability to call cordially by name clients or chance acquaintances whom he had not seen for years.  Nature had endowed him with a good memory for names and faces, but he had learned to take advantage of all opportunities to brush up his wits before they were called into flattering, spontaneous action.  When his glance, attracted by Mrs. Earle’s remote gesticulation, rested on Selma’s face, he began to ask himself at once where he had seen it before.  In the interval vouchsafed by her approach he recalled the incident of the divorce, that her name had been Babcock, and that she had married again, but he was still groping for the name of her husband when the necessary clew was supplied by Mrs. Earle, and he was able to make his recognition of her exhaustive.  He noticed with approval her pretty face and compact figure, reflecting that the slight gain in flesh was to her advantage, and noticed also her widow’s mourning.  But her eager, fluent address and zealous manner had prevented his attention from secretly wandering