the
stamp of a patrician's daughter in her bearing and her countenance--a
brunette, with delicate features, though determination shone in her
eyes and appeared in the self-contained poise of her head. She was
the imperious type of beauty and suggested to Haines the dry point
etchings of Paul Helleu. He instinctively conceived her to be
intensely ambitious, and of this Haines was soon to have unexpected
evidence. Gazing at her with a sense of growing admiration, Haines
gave an involuntary start as Senator Langdon spoke.

"My daughter, Miss Carolina Langdon, Mr. Haines," said the Senator.

Carolina was interested.

"Are you the newspaper man who is interviewing father? I hope you'll
do a nice one. We want him to be a successful and popular Senator.
We'd like to help him if we could."

The correspondent bowed.

"I should say you certainly would help him to be a popular Senator,"
he declared, emphatically, failing to notice that Hope Georgia was
somewhat annoyed at the enthusiasm displayed over her elder sister. In
fact, Hope Georgia was suffering a partial, if not total, eclipse.

"I'm leaving it to Mr. Haines to put down the things I ought to say,"
broke in the Senator. "He knows."

"Yes, he knows everything about Washington, Carolina," exclaimed Hope
Georgia, spiritedly.

The older girl spoke eagerly.

"I wish you'd interview me, Mr. Haines. Ask me how I like Washington.
I feel as though I must tell some one just how much I do like it! It
is too wonderful!"

"I'd like mighty well to interview you, Miss Langdon,"
enthusiastically exclaimed Haines.

"I hope you will some time, Mr. Haines," remarked Carolina, as she
said good-by.

Watching her as she turned away, Haines saw her extend a warm greeting
to Congressman Charles Norton, who had advanced toward the group.

[Illustration: "STRANGE HOW THE LANGDONS TREAT HIM AS A FRIEND."]

"Strange how the Langdons treat him as a friend--intimate one, too,"
he thought. "What if they should learn of Norton's questionable
operations at the Capitol; of his connection with two unsavory
'deals,' one of which resulted in an amendment to the pure food law so
that manufacturers of a valueless 'consumption cure' could continue to
mislead the victims of the 'white plague'; Norton, who had uttered an
epigram now celebrated in the tap-rooms of Washington, 'The paths of
glory lead but to the graft.'"

"Miss Langdon is very beautiful and attractive, sir," said Haines,
resum