"Then I am to understand that this application is withdrawn?"

"As far as my patronage is concerned, certainly. In fact, such an
appointment would not express the sentiments--indeed, I may say, would
be calculated to raise active opposition in the deestrict."

The secretary uttered a sigh of relief, and the gifted Gashwiler passed
out. I tried to get a good look at the honorable scamp's eye, but he
evidently did not recognize me.

It was a question in my mind whether I ought not to expose the
treachery of Dobbs's friend, but the next time I met Dobbs he was in
such good spirits that I forebore. It appeared that his wife had
written to him that she had discovered a second cousin in the person of
the Assistant Superintendent of the Envelope Flap Moistening Bureau of
the Department of Tape, and had asked his assistance; and Dobbs had
seen him, and he had promised it. "You see," said Dobbs, "in the
performance of his duties he is often very near the person of the
secretary, frequently in the next room, and he is a powerful man,
sir--a powerful man to know, sir--a VERY powerful man."

How long this continued I do not remember. Long enough, however, for
Dobbs to become quite seedy, for the giving up of wrist cuffs, for the
neglect of shoes and beard, and for great hollows to form round his
eyes, and a slight flush on his cheek-bones. I remember meeting him in
all the departments, writing letters or waiting patiently in anterooms
from morning till night. He had lost all his old dogmatism, but not
his pride. "I might as well be here as anywhere, while I'm waiting,"
he said, "and then I'm getting some knowledge of the details of
official life."

In the face of this mystery I was surprised at finding a note from him
one day, inviting me to dine with him at a certain famous restaurant.
I had scarce got over my amazement, when the writer himself overtook me
at my hotel. For a moment I scarcely recognized him. A new suit of
fashionably-cut clothes had changed him, without, however, entirely
concealing his rustic angularity of figure and outline. He even
affected a fashionable dilettante air, but so mildly and so innocently
that it was not offensive.

"You see," he began, explanatory-wise, "I've just found out the way to
do it. None of these big fellows, these cabinet officers, know me
except as an applicant. Now, the way to do this thing is to meet 'em
fust sociably; wine 'em and dine 'em. Why, sir,"--he dropped