't escape from that. I tell you what,
I'm going to have a glass of champagne," I said, entering the china
closet and taking possession of one of the bottles which had been
packed in ice for the refreshment of my friends. I filled a glass for
each of us and drained mine to the philosophical toast, "Here's to
peace and a quiet life, my dear."

"It would have been very nice to go to Washington," said Josephine,
between her sips. "It might have been a stepping-stone to higher
things. You know you would be pleased to be sent abroad as a foreign
minister. It would have just suited you, Fred."

"It may be that the President, when he hears of the gallant fight I
made, will reward me with something in that line," I answered, with a
twinkle in my eye. "By the way, what egotists we are! I did not tell
you, and you did not inquire, who had been elected President. We have
won a glorious victory."

"I'm very glad, I'm sure," said Josephine, in a tone which was
scandalously absent-minded considering the importance of the
information. After a moment she remarked, coyly: "I should really
think, Fred, there might be a chance of his giving you something when
he hears."

"Not the slightest, you dear woman. I was only teasing you. I am a
very humble figure in the politics of the country, I assure you, and
even if the President is aware of my existence when he enters office,
it will never occur to him to pick me out for preferment. Besides, I
don't wish anything. I am perfectly content to sink back into the
obscurity from which I was lured by the call of duty. It would have
tickled my pride a little to defeat Spinney, but I am inclined to think
I should have found it rather a bore to be only one Congressman among
so many."

"Just think of it, one hundred and fifteen more votes would have given
you the election. It seems hard to have missed it by so little. You
mustn't think me a goose about you, Fred," she added, after a
thoughtful pause. "I don't usually praise you to your face and make an
undue fuss about you, do I, dear? I think I am disposed to be critical
of you rather than otherwise. But you are so much superior to the men
they generally put up, that I'm unable to reconcile myself to the idea
that you're not to be anything distinguished after all. Of course I
didn't really expect that you were going to be very great; and yet in
politics one cannot always tell. Men no more remarkable than you have
been electe