Ester sighed heavily. The old difficulty again—things would not be undone. The weeds which she had been carelessly sowing during all these past years had taken deep root, and would not give place. After a moment's silence she spoke again.
"Sadie, answer me just one question. What do you think of Dr.
Douglass?"
Sadie's face darkened ominously. "Never mind what I think of him," she answered in short, sharp tones, and abruptly left the room.
What she did think of him was this: That he had become that which he had affected to consider the most despicable thing on earth—a hypocrite. Remember, she had no personal knowledge of the power of the Spirit of God over a human soul. She had no conception of how so mighty a change could be wrought in the space of a few hours, so her only solution of the mystery was that to serve some end which he had in view Dr. Douglass had chosen to assume a new character.
Later, on that same day, Sadie encountered Dr. Douglass, rather, she went to the side piazza equipped for a walk, and he came eagerly from the west end to speak with her.
"Miss Sadie, I have been watching for you. I have a few words that are burning to be said."
"Proceed," said Sadie, standing with demurely folded hands, and a mock gravity in her roguish eyes.
"I want to do justice at this late day to Dr. Van Anden. I misjudged him, wronged him, perhaps prejudiced you against him. I want to undo my work."
"Some things can be done more easily than they can be undone," was Sadie's grave and dignified reply. "You certainly have done your best to prejudice me against Dr. Van Anden not only, but against all other persons who hold his peculiar views, and you have succeeded splendidly. I congratulate you."
That look of absolute pain which she had seen once or twice on this man's face, swept over it now as he answered her.