imself called dangerous by the president
of the Northeastern!

He who, during all the valuable years of his services, had never had a
sign that that potentate was cognizant of his humble existence.

The Honourable Brush Bascom, as we know, was a clever man; and although
it had never been given him to improve on the "Book of Arguments," he
had ideas of his own. On reading Mr. Crewe's defiance that morning, he
had, with characteristic promptitude and a desire to be useful, taken
the first train out of Putnam for Ripton, to range himself by the
side of the Honourable Hilary in the hour of need. The Feudal System
anticipates, and Mr. Bascom did not wait for a telegram.

On the arrival of the chief counsel from Fairview other captains had put
in an appearance, but Mr. Bascom alone was summoned, by a nod, into
the private office. What passed between them seems too sacred to write
about. The Honourable Hilary would take one of the slips from the packet
and give it to Mr. Bascom.

"If that were recommended, editorially, to the Hull Mercury, it might
serve to clear away certain misconceptions in that section.

"Certain," Mr. Bascom would reply.

"It has been thought wise," the Honourable Hilary continued, "to send an
annual to the Groveton News. Roberts, his name is. Suppose you recommend
to Mr. Roberts that an editorial on this subject would be timely."

Slip number two. Mr. Bascom marks it 'Roberts.' Subject: "What would the
State do without the Railroad?"

"And Grenville, being a Prohibition centre, you might get this worked up
for the Advertiser there."

Mr. Bascom's agate eyes are full of light as he takes slip number three.
Subject: "Mr. Humphrey Crewe has the best-stocked wine cellar in the
State, and champagne every night for dinner." Slip number four, taken
direct from the second chapter of the "Book of Arguments": "Mr. Crewe
is a reformer because he has been disappointed in his inordinate
ambitions," etc. Slip number five: "Mr. Crewe is a summer resident, with
a house in New York," etc., etc.

Slip number six, "Book of Arguments," paragraph, chapter: "Humphrey
Crewe, Defamer of our State." Assigned, among others, to the Ripton
Record.

"Paul Pardriff went up to Leith to-day," said Mr. Bascom.

"Go to see him," replied the Honourable Hilary. "I've been thinking
for some time that the advertising in the Ripton Record deserves an
additional annual."

Mr. Bascom, having been despatched on this business, and