fices for half an hour to give the newspapers a carefully considered
account of the much-discussed "merger" of the manufacturers of
low-grade woolens. Herron had objected to any statement. "It's our
private business," he said. "Let them howl. The fewer facts they
have, the sooner they'll stop howling." But Dumont held firm for
publicity. "There's no such thing as a private business nowadays," he
replied. "Besides, don't we want the public to take part of our stock?
What's the use of acting shady--you've avoided the legal obstacles,
haven't you? Let's tell the public frankly all we want it to know, and
it'll think it knows all there is to know."

The whole party met in the drawing-room at a quarter-past eight,
Langdon the last to come down--Olivia was uncertain whether or not she
was unjust to him when she suspected design in his late entrance, the
handsomest and the best-dressed man of the company.

He looked cynically at Dumont. "Well, fellow pirate: how go our plans
for a merry winter for the poor?"

"Ass!" muttered Herron to Olivia, who happened to, be nearest him. "He
fancies impudence is wit. He's devoid of moral sense or even of
decency. He's a traitor to his class and shouldn't be tolerated in it."

Dumont was laughingly answering Langdon in his own vein.

"Splendidly," he replied, "thanks to our worthy chaplain, Herron, who
secures us the blessing and protection of the law."

"That gives me an appetite!" exclaimed Langdon. "I feared something
might miscarry in these last hours of our months of plotting. Heaven
be praised, the people won't have so much to waste hereafter. I'm
proud to be in one of the many noble bands that are struggling to save
them from themselves."

But Dumont had turned away from him; so he dropped into Mrs. Herron's
discussion with Mrs. Fanshaw on their proposed trip to the
Mediterranean. Dinner was announced and he was put between Mrs. Herron
and Olivia, with Dumont on her right. It was a round table and
Olivia's eyes lingered upon its details--the embroidered cloth with
real lace in the center, the graceful antique silver candlesticks, the
tall vases filled with enormous roses--everything exquisitely simple
and tasteful.

Langdon talked with her until Mrs. Herron, impatient at his neglect,
caught his eye and compelled his attention. Dumont, seeing that Olivia
was free, drew her into his conversation with Mrs. Fanshaw; and then
Mrs. Fanshaw began to talk with Mr. H