“No, I have no right.  I am no better than you.”

Two or three hours later Dr. Saxon sat at his desk, when Agnes entered and came silently and stood beside him.  He did not look up, but asked quietly: 

“Well, have you packed him off?”

“No,” she answered under her breath; “you know I haven’t.”

He smiled up at her.  This gruff old man had a rare smile on occasion for those he liked.  And he said: 

“Well, he isn’t the worst they make; he’s got spirit, and he can take a drubbing, too, when it’s deserved.  I tried him pretty well.  Didn’t I fire into him, though, hot shot!” He fairly grinned at the recollection.  “I had to, you know, to keep myself in countenance.  I suppose I said rather more than I meant—­but don’t you tell him so.”

She smiled.  “I have told him so already; I told him you didn’t mean a word you said.”

“You presumptuous baggage!” The doctor scowled now.  “Then you told him a tremendous fib.  I meant a deal of it.  Well, he’ll get his deserts yet, if he gets you, you deceiving minx.  I told him one thing that was true enough, anyway”—­he smiled broadly again—­“I told him Mary was worth half a dozen of you.”

Agnes turned grave, and put down her head so that she hid her face.

“So she is,” she answered.  “Oh, I’m very sorry—­and ashamed!”

“Well, well,” the old doctor responded soberly, stroking her cheek, “it is a pity; but I suppose it can’t be helped.  Mary’s made of good stuff, and will pull through.  It wouldn’t do her any good if three lives were spoiled instead of one.  It’s lucky she found out before it was too late.”

THE LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

BY IDA M. TARBELL.

LINCOLN IN CONGRESS

The following article is made up almost entirely of new matter.  It includes six hitherto unpublished letters, all of them of importance in illustrating Lincoln’s political methods and his views on public questions from 1843 to 1848, and an excellent report of a speech delivered in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1848, hitherto unknown to Lincoln’s biographers, discovered in course of a search instituted by this Magazine through the files of the Boston and Worcester newspapers of September, 1848.  The article also comprises various reminiscences of Lincoln in the period covered, gathered especially for this Magazine from associates of his who are still living.

For eight successive years Lincoln had been a member of the General Assembly of Illinois.  It was quite long enough, in his judgment.  He wanted something better.  In 1842 he declined re-nomination, and became a candidate for Congress.  He did not wait to be asked, nor did he leave his case in the hands of his friends.  He frankly announced his desire, and managed his own canvass.  There was no reason, in Lincoln’s opinion, for concealing political ambition.  He recognized, at the same time, the legitimacy of the ambition of his friends, and entertained no suspicion or rancor if they contested places with him.