reporter.

"All right, Mr. Haines; my hands are up. Do your worst. Senator
Stevens spoke to me about you; said you were the smartest young
newspaper man in Washington. You must come from the South."

Bud shook his head.

"No, just New York," he said.

"Well, that's a promising town," drawled the Southerner. "They tell me
that's the Vicksburg of the North."

"I suppose you haven't been to New York of late, Senator?" suggested
the newspaper man.

"Well, I started up there with General Lee once," responded Langdon
reminiscently, "but we changed our minds and came back. You may have
heard about that trip."

Haines admitted that he had.

"Since that time," went on Langdon, "I've confined my travels to New
Orleans and Vicksburg. Ever been in New Orleans about Mardi Gras time,
Mr. Haines?"

"Sorry, but I don't believe I have," confessed the reporter
reluctantly.

The Senator seemed surprised.

"Well, sir, you have something to live for. I'll make it my special
business to personally conduct you through one Mardi Gras, with a
special understanding, of course, that you don't print anything in the
paper. I'm a vestryman in my church, but since misfortune has come
upon our State I have to be careful."

Haines searched his brain. He knew of no grave calamity that had
happened recently in Mississippi.

"Misfortune?" he questioned.

Senator Langdon nodded.

[Illustration: "FROM NEW YORK, EH? THE VICKSBURG OF THE NORTH,"]

"Yes, sir, the great old State of Mississippi went prohibition at the
last election. I don't know how it happened. We haven't found anybody
in the State that says he voted for it, but the fact is a fact. I
assure you, Mr. Haines, that prohibition stops at my front door, in
Mississippi. So I've been living a quiet life down on my plantation."

"This new life will be a great change for you, then?" suggested the
reporter.

"Change! It's revolutionary, sir! When you've expected to spend your
old days peacefully in the country, Mr. Haines, suddenly to find that
your State has called on you--"

A flavor of sarcasm came into Haines' reply.

"The office seeking the man?" He could not help the slight sneer. Was
a man never to admit that he had sought the office? Haines knew only
too well of the arduous work necessary to secure nominations for high
office in conventions and to win an election to the Senate from a
State Legislature. In almost every case, he knew, the candidate must
make a dozen di