ed. He wanted to be governor
of the State. He had put his teeth together, and, deaf to all other
considerations, blind to all other issues, he worked with the infinite
slowness, the unshakable tenacity of the coral insect to this one end.

After luncheon was over, Lyman ordered cigars and liqueurs, and with
the three others returned to the main room of the club. However, their
former place in the round window was occupied. A middle-aged man,
with iron grey hair and moustache, who wore a frock coat and a white
waistcoat, and in some indefinable manner suggested a retired naval
officer, was sitting at their table smoking a long, thin cigar. At sight
of him, Presley became animated. He uttered a mild exclamation:

"Why, isn't that Mr. Cedarquist?"

"Cedarquist?" repeated Lyman Derrick. "I know him well. Yes, of course,
it is," he continued. "Governor, you must know him. He is one of our
representative men. You would enjoy talking to him. He was the head of
the big Atlas Iron Works. They have shut down recently, you know.
Not failed exactly, but just ceased to be a paying investment, and
Cedarquist closed them out. He has other interests, though. He's a rich
man--a capitalist."

Lyman brought the group up to the gentleman in question and introduced
them. "Mr. Magnus Derrick, of course," observed Cedarquist, as he took
the Governor's hand. "I've known you by repute for some time, sir. This
is a great pleasure, I assure you." Then, turning to Presley, he added:
"Hello, Pres, my boy. How is the great, the very great Poem getting on?"

"It's not getting on at all, sir," answered Presley, in some
embarrassment, as they all sat down. "In fact, I've about given up the
idea. There's so much interest in what you might call 'living issues'
down at Los Muertos now, that I'm getting further and further from it
every day."

"I should say as much," remarked the manufacturer, turning towards
Magnus. "I'm watching your fight with Shelgrim, Mr. Derrick, with every
degree of interest." He raised his drink of whiskey and soda. "Here's
success to you."

As he replaced his glass, the artist Hartrath joined the group
uninvited. As a pretext, he engaged Lyman in conversation. Lyman, he
believed, was a man with a "pull" at the City Hall. In connection with a
projected Million-Dollar Fair and Flower Festival, which at that moment
was the talk of the city, certain statues were to be erected, and
Hartrath bespoke Lyman's influence to further