and thus to his State, he was willing
to stand for a time the indignation of the ignorant, the obloquy of the
malicious, even revolt and disloyalty among his own lieutenants. One
day the truth about his disinterested patriotism would become known. For
the present he would sit silent, calmly waiting at least until unjust
resentment subsided and reason reasserted her sway.

Many days passed, as it happened, before West and the Secretary of
Charities met; six days before West and the Assistant Secretary met. On
the sixth night, about half-past seven in the evening, he came
unexpectedly face to face with Sharlee Weyland in the vestibule of Mrs.
Byrd, Senior's, handsome house. In the days intervening, Sharlee's state
of mind had remained very much where it was on the first morning: only
now the tiny open corner of her mind had shrunk to imperceptible
dimensions. Of West she entertained not the smallest doubt; and she
greeted him like the excellent friend she knew him to be.

There was a little dinner-dance at Mrs. Byrd's, for the season's
_debutantes_. It became remembered as one of the most charming of all
her charming parties. To the buds were added a sprinkling of older girls
who had survived as the fittest, while among the swains a splendid
catholicity as to age prevailed. A retinue of imported men, Caucasian at
that, served dinner at six small tables, six at a table; the viands were
fashioned to tickle tired epicures; there was vintage champagne such as
kings quaff to pledge the comity of nations; Wissner's little band of
artists, known to command its own price, divinely mingled melody with
the rose-sweetness of the air. West, having dined beautifully, and
lingered over coffee in the smoking-room among the last, emerged to find
the polished floors crowded with an influx of new guests, come to
enliven the dance. His was, as ever, a Roman progress; he stopped and
was stopped everywhere; like a happy opportunist, he plucked the flowers
as they came under his hand, and gayly whirled from one measure to
another. So the glorious evening was half spent before, in an
intermission, he found himself facing Sharlee Weyland, who was
uncommonly well attended, imploring her hand for the approaching waltz.

Without the smallest hesitation, Sharlee drew her ornamental pencil
through the next name on her list, and ordered her flowers and fan
transferred from the hands of Mr. Beverley Byrd to those of Mr. Charles
Gardiner West.

"Onl