n a porous plaster."

Behind Mr. Hendricks' colloquialisms there was something sturdy and
fine. His very vernacular made him popular; his honesty was beyond
suspicion. If he belonged to the old school in politics, he had most
of its virtues and few of its vices. He would take care of his friends,
undoubtedly, but he was careful in his choice of friends. He would make
the city a good place to live in. Like Willy Cameron, he saw it, not
a center of trade so much as a vast settlement of homes. Business
supported the city in his mind, not the city business.

Nevertheless the situation was serious, and it was with a sense of a
desperate remedy for a desperate disease that Willy Cameron, after a
careful toilet, rang the bell of the Cardew house that night. He had no
hope of seeing Lily, but the mere thought that they were under one roof
gave him a sense of nearness and of comfort in her safety.

Dinner was recently over, and he found both the Cardews, father and son,
in the library smoking. He had arrived at a bad moment, for the bomb
outrage, coming on top of Lily's refusal to come home under the given
conditions, had roused Anthony to a cold rage, and left Howard with a
feeling of helplessness.

Anthony Cardew nodded to him grimly, but Howard shook hands and offered
him a chair.

"I heard you speak some time ago, Mr. Cameron," he said. "You made me
wish I could have had your support."

"I came to talk about that. I am sorry to have to come in the evening,
but I am not free at any other time."

"When we go into politics," said old Anthony in his jibing voice, "the
ordinary amenities have to go. When you are elected, Howard, I shall
live somewhere else."

Willy Cameron smiled.

"I don't think you will be put to that inconvenience, Mr. Cardew."

"What's that?" Old Anthony's voice was incredulous. Here, in his own
house, this whipper-snapper--

"I am sure Mr. Howard Cardew realizes he cannot be elected."

The small ragged vein on Anthony's forehead was the storm signal for the
family. Howard glanced at him, and said urbanely:

"Will you have a cigar, Mr. Cameron? Or a liqueur?"

"Nothing, thank you. If I can have a few minutes' talk with you--"

"If you mean that as a request for me to go out, I will remind you that
I am heavily interested in this matter myself," said old Anthony. "I
have put in a great deal of money. If you people are going to drop out,
I want to hear it. You've played the devil with us alrea