ossibly think myself more important than he to the success of the
campaign. And his resentment was deepened by the probably incessant
reminders of his common sense that all this vast machine, public and
secret, could have been set in motion just as effectively for any one
of a score of "statesmen" conspicuous in the party.

I saw through his labored cordiality; and it depressed me again--started
me down toward those depths of self-condemnation from which I had been
held up for a few days by the excitement of the swiftly thronging events
and by the necessity of putting my whole mind upon moves for my game.

"I am heartily glad you were successful," he began when we were alone.
"That takes a weight off my mind."

"You misunderstood me, I see," said I. "I haven't got anything from
those people in New York as yet. But within a week they'll be begging me
to take whatever I need. Thwing's report will put them in a panic."

His face fell. "Then I must be especially courteous to Goodrich," he
said, after thinking intently. "Your hopes might be disappointed."

"Not the slightest danger," was my prompt assurance. "And if you take my
advice, you will ask Goodrich how his agent found Senator Scarborough's
health, and then order him out of this house. Why harbor a deadly snake
that can be of no use to you?"

"But you seem to forget, Harvey, that he is the master of at least the
eastern wing of the party. And you must now see that he will stop at
nothing, unless he is pacified."

"He is the fetch-and-carry of an impudent and cowardly crowd in Wall
Street," I retorted, "that is all. When they find he can no longer do
their errands, they'll throw him over and come to us. And we can have
them on our own terms."

We argued, with growing irritation on both sides, and after an hour or
so, I saw that he was hopelessly under the spell of his pettiness and
his moral cowardice. He had convinced himself that I was jealous of
Goodrich and would sacrifice anything to gratify my hate. And Goodrich's
sending an agent to Scarborough had only made him the more formidable in
Burbank's eyes. As I looked in upon his mind and watched its weak,
foolish little workings, my irritation subsided. "Do as you think best,"
said I wearily. "But when he presents the mortgage you are going to give
him on your presidency, remember my warning."

He laughed this off, feeling my point only in his vanity, not at all in
his judgment. "And how will _you_ receive