thinking."

"Of my--proposition?"

"Yes."

"Doesn't it grow on you?"

"Yes."

He shifted himself to a sitting position with much deliberateness. He
put his hand in among her rugs and wraps until it touched hers. "It
may turn out better than you anticipate," he said, a little sentiment
in his eyes and smile, a little raillery in his voice.

"I doubt if it will," she answered, without looking at him directly.
"For--I--anticipate a great deal."

XXIV.

DUMONT BETRAYS DUMONT.

Fanshaw versus Fanshaw was heard privately by a referee; and before
Mrs. Fanshaw's lawyers had a chance to ask that the referee's report be
sealed from publicity, the judge of his own motion ordered it. At the
political club to which he belonged, he had received an intimation from
the local "boss" that if Dumont's name were anywhere printed in
connection with the case he would be held responsible. Thus it came to
pass that on the morning of the filing of the decree the newspapers
were grumbling over their inability to give the eagerly-awaited details
of the great scandal. And Herron was Catonizing against "judicial
corruption."

But Dumont was overswift in congratulating himself on his escape and in
preening himself on his power.

For several days the popular newspapers were alone in denouncing the
judge for favoritism and in pointing out that the judiciary were
"becoming subservient to the rich and the powerful in their
rearrangements of their domestic relations--a long first step toward
complete subservience." Herron happened to have among his intimates
the editor of an eminently respectable newspaper that prides itself
upon never publishing private scandals. He impressed his friend with
his own strong views as to the gravity of this growing discrimination
between masses and classes; and the organ of independent conservatism
was presently lifting up its solemn voice in a stentorian jeremiad.

Without this reinforcement the "yellows" might have shrieked in vain.
It was assumed that baffled sensationalism was by far a stronger motive
with them than justice, and the public was amused rather than aroused
by their protests. But now soberer dailies and weeklies took up the
case and the discussion spread to other cities, to the whole country.
By his audacity, by his arrogant frankness he had latterly treated
public opinion with scantiest courtesy--by his purchase of campaign
committees, and legislatures, and courts, Dumont had