ent a ticket of admission."

"Wouldn't it be better to apply for a ticket and not wait for it to be
sent?"

"I think it would--and to apply for one often."

"I am waiting, Mr. Farnum," interrupted Powers impatiently.

To the young man the suggestion sounded like a command. He bowed to
Alice and followed the great man out of the room.

CHAPTER 10

Many business men of every community are respectable
cowards. The sense of property fills them with a cramping
timidity.--From the Note Book of a Dreamer.

SAFE AND SOUND BUSINESS RALLIES TO THE DEFENSE OF THE COUNTRY. THE
REBEL, FRUSTRATED, PLANS FURTHER VILLAINIES

Part 1

When James reached his office next morning he found Killen waiting for
him. One glance at the weak defiant face told him that the legislator
was again in revolt. The lawyer felt a surge of disgust sweep over him.
All through the session he had cajoled and argued the weak-kneed back
into line. Why didn't Hardy do his own dirty work instead of leaving it
to him to soil his hands with these cheap grafters?

No longer ago than yesterday it had been a keen pleasure to feel himself
so important a factor in the struggle, to know that his power and his
personality were of increasing value to his side.

But to-day--somehow the salt had gone out of it. The value of the issue
had dwindled, his enthusiasm gone stale. After all, what did it matter
who was elected? Why should not the corporate wealth that was developing
the country see that men were chosen to office who would safeguard
vested interests? It was all very well for Jeff to talk about democracy
and the rights of the people. But Jeff was an impracticable idealist.
He, James, stood for success. Within the past twenty-four hours there
had been something of a shift of standards for him.

His visit to The Brakes had done that for him. He craved luxury just as
he did power, and the house on the hill had said the final word of both
to him in the personalities of Joe Powers and his daughter. It had come
home to him that the only way to satisfy his ambition was by making
money and a lot of it. This morning, with the sharpness of his hunger
rendering him irritable, he was in no mood to conciliate disaffectants
to the cause of which he was himself beginning to weary.

"Well?" he demanded sharply of Killen.

"I've been looking for your cousin, but I can't find him. He was to have
met me here later."

"Then I presume he'll be here