from Austen Vane in settlement of the case of the injured horse, Austen
was likewise invited.

Austen smiled when he opened the letter, and with its businesslike
contents there seemed to be wafted from it the perfume and suppliance of
a September day in the Vale of the Blue. From the window of his back
office, looking across the railroad tracks, he could see Sawanec, pale in
her winter garb against a pale winter sky, and there arose in him the old
restless desire for the woods and fields which at times was almost
irresistible. His thoughts at length descending from the azure above
Sawanec, his eyes fell again on Mr. Crewe's typewritten words: "It may be
of interest to you that I am to deliver, on the 15th instant, and as the
Chairman of the House Committee on National Affairs, a speech upon
national policies which is the result of much thought, and which touches
upon such material needs of our State as can be supplied by the Federal
Government."

Austen had a brief fancy, whimsical as it was, of going to hear him. Mr.
Crewe, as a type absolutely new to him, interested him. He had followed
the unusual and somewhat surprising career of the gentleman from Leith
with some care, even to the extent of reading of Mr. Crewe's activities
in the State Tribunes which had been sent him. Were such qualifications
as Mr. Crewe possessed, he wondered, of a kind to sweep their possessor
into high office? Were industry, persistency, and a capacity for taking
advantage of a fair wind sufficient?

Since his return from Pepper County, Austen Vane had never been to the
State capital during a session, although it was common for young lawyers
to have cases before the Legislature. It would have been difficult to say
why he did not take these cases, aside from the fact that they were not
very remunerative. On occasions gentlemen from different parts of the
State, and some from outside of it who had certain favours to ask at the
hands of the lawmaking body, had visited his back office and closed the
door after them, and in the course of the conversation had referred to
the relationship of the young lawyer to Hilary Vane. At such times Austen
would freely acknowledge the debt of gratitude he owed his father for
being in the world--and refer them politely to Mr. Hilary Vane himself.
In most cases they had followed his advice, wondering not a little at
this isolated example of quixotism.

During the sessions, except for a day or two at week ends