evils he preferred to choose the less,
and if any legislators were to meddle with the affairs of the roads, better
let it be the State Solons, who were far more--well--approachable and ready
to listen to--let us say--reason? Can you deny that----" But here Elmendorf
found himself without listeners. The odd point in it all was that very much
that he said was true; and Allison was reddening with wrath, and Sloan
chuckling with suppressed merriment, when the entrance of a tall,
brown-eyed, brown-moustached man in evening dress gave both opportunity
to escape the deluge.

"Forrest at last!" exclaimed the host, turning and seizing his hand. "So
sorry you were detained, lad; but sit you down, sit you down, and let me
ring for some dinner for you. No? Had a bite? All right. Take a chair
and some wine. Sloan and I were whacking away at the old bone."

"Yes, Allison, and here's a Federal officer who won't agree with you for
a moment."

With a dissatisfied shake of his head, Elmendorf had arisen as though to
pull his chair nearer the end of the table and resume his attack, but
Allison had purposely turned his back squarely upon him and was drawing
Forrest to the very place the tutor had hoped to occupy. Sloan arose and
cordially shook hands with the new-comer, who then for the first time,
apparently, caught sight of Elmendorf. The latter had started as though
to come forward, but something in Forrest's eyes restrained him. The
lieutenant simply bowed, and said, very coldly, "Good-evening," but did
not even mention the tutor by name.

"Now, Mr. Forrest," began Mr. Sloan, with much heartiness of manner, "I
want you to say to Allison here just what you said to me. He's a trifle
hot-headed to-night. He thinks the government has been paternalizing at
our expense, and that only harm will come from it."

Forrest looked from one to the other a moment, a quiet smile upon his
lips. All the previous afternoon as they trundled along in the cosy
private car had these gentlemen been disputing over the same thing, and
late in the evening, as Mr. Sloan and Forrest were enjoying a cigar
together, they, too, had had a chat upon the subject, and Sloan had
turned and looked upon the officer in some surprise. In common with
most of his class, the man of wealth and worldly wisdom had regarded the
_genus_ regular officer as a something impressive, possibly, on parade,
useful probably on the frontier, but out of place anywhere else. That he
should