ne, which is the
lobby, and because most of the twenty State senators are dependent upon
the Northeastern for future favours."

"Did you tell Tom Gaylord that?" demanded Mr. Vane. "What did he say?"

Austen braced himself. He did not find the answer easy.

"He said he knew about Number Seven as well as I did."

The Honourable Hilary rose abruptly--perhaps in some secret agitation
--Austen could not discern. His father walked as far as the door, and
turned slowly and faced him, but he did not speak. His mouth was tightly
closed, almost as in pain, and Austen went towards him, appealingly.

"Judge," he said, "you sent for me. You have asked me questions which I
felt obliged in honesty to answer. God knows I don't wish to differ with
you, but circumstances seem always against us. I will talk plainly, if
you will let me. I try to look at things from your point of view. I know
that you believe that a political system should go hand in hand with the
great commercial system which you are engaged in building. I disagree
with your beliefs, but I do not think that your pursuit of them has not
been sincere, and justified by your conscience. I suppose that you sent
for me to know whether Mr. Gaylord has employed me to lobby for his bill.
He has not, because I refused that employment. But I will tell you that,
in my opinion, if a man of any ability whatever should get up on the
floor of the House and make an argument for the Pingsquit bill, the
sentiment against the Northeastern and its political power is so great
that the House would compel the committee to report the bill, and pass
it. You probably know this already, but I mention it for your own good if
you do not, in the hope that, through you, the Northeastern Railroads may
be induced to relax their grip upon the government of this State."

The Honourable Hilary advanced, until only the marble-topped table was
between himself and his son. A slight noise in the adjoining room caused
him to turn his head momentarily. Then he faced Austen again.

"Did you tell Gaylord this?" he asked.

Austen made a gesture of distaste, and turned away.

"No," he said, "I reserved the opinion, whatever it is worth, for your
ears alone."

"I've heard that kind of calculation before," said the Honourable Hilary.
"My experience is that they never come to much. As for this nonsense
about the Northeastern Railroads running things," he added more
vigorously, "I guess when it's once in a man's