to a
man in so exalted a position.

Mrs. Brandon nodded resignedly. Her eyebrows and lashes were carefully
darkened so as to sweeten the lines of her face, and a dimple had been
made in one cheek by the aid of an orange stick. She was the picture of
delicate femininity appealingly distressful, and yet to all appearance
commercially competent.

"At the time I met you you were connected with the government service
in Washington, I believe."

"Yes, I had a small place in the Treasury Department, but this new
administration put me out."

She lifted her eyes and leaned forward, thus bringing her torso into a
ravishing position. She had the air of one who has done many things
besides work in the Treasury Department. No least detail, as she
observed, was lost on Mr. Sluss. He noted her shoes, which were button
patent leather with cloth tops; her gloves, which were glace black kid
with white stitching at the back and fastened by dark-gamet buttons;
the coral necklace worn on this occasion, and her yellow and red velvet
rose. Evidently a trig and hopeful widow, even if so recently bereaved.

"Let me see," mused Mr. Sluss, "where are you living? Just let me make
a note of your address. This is a very nice letter from Mr. Barry.
Suppose you give me a few days to think what I can do? This is Tuesday.
Come in again on Friday. I'll see if anything suggests itself."

He strolled with her to the official door, and noted that her step was
light and springy. At parting she turned a very melting gaze upon him,
and at once he decided that if he could he would find her something.
She was the most fascinating applicant that had yet appeared.

The end of Chaffee Thayer Sluss was not far distant after this. Mrs.
Brandon returned, as requested, her costume enlivened this time by a
red-silk petticoat which contrived to show its ingratiating flounces
beneath the glistening black broadcloth of her skirt.

"Say, did you get on to that?" observed one of the doormen, a hold-over
from the previous regime, to another of the same vintage. "Some style
to the new administration, hey? We're not so slow, do you think?"

He pulled his coat together and fumbled at his collar to give himself
an air of smartness, and gazed gaily at his partner, both of them over
sixty and dusty specimens, at that.

The other poked him in the stomach. "Hold your horses there, Bill. Not
so fast. We ain't got a real start yet. Give us another six months,
an