ontaneity that was of prime importance. No other could
do this so well as Mr. Gwynn; no other table would so escape that charge
of personal interest which the friends of Governor Obstinate might be
expected to make. The very fact of Mr. Gwynn being an Englishman would
defend it. Mr. Gwynn, at the word of Richard, was willing to serve the
views of Senator Gruff, and the dinner was arranged.

There were full sixty present, including Speaker Frost and those high
officials of the Anaconda. Mr. Gwynn had also dispatched an invitation
to Mr. Bayard, and Richard inclosed therewith a personal note which had
for its result the bringing of that astrologer of stocks, albeit dinners
political were not precisely his habit.

"Who is your friend Gwynn?" asked Mr. Bayard, the afternoon before the
dinner.

"I'll explain Mr. Gwynn later," replied Richard. "He is quite devoted to
my interests, I assure you, and to nothing else."

"I can well believe so," returned Mr. Bayard, who had already half
solved the enigma of Mr. Gwynn. "I begin to fear that you are a
quixotic, not to say an eccentric, not to add a most egotistical young
man. At that I'm not prepared to say you are wrong. One is justified in
extreme concealments to avoid those animals the snobs."

Mr. Gwynn, the picture of all that was imperial, sat at the table's
head, with Senator Hanway on his right. At the foot was Senator Gruff,
who, if not the founder, might be called the architect of the feast,
since, with the exception of Mr. Bayard, he had pricked off the list of
guests. Mr. Harley, sad and worn with thoughts of Storri, sat next to
Senator Gruff, while Mr. Bayard and Richard occupied inconspicuous
places midway of the board.

When in the procession of courses the dinner attained to birds, a famous
editor of the Middle West, who had been consuming wine with diligence to
the end that he be fluent, addressed the table's head. He recited the
public interests; then, paying a tribute to their party as the guardian
of those interests, he wound up in words of fire with the declaration
that Senator Hanway must be the next standard-bearer of that party. The
cheering was tremendous, considering the small numbers to furnish it.

When the joyful sounds subsided, Senator Hanway, in a few placid, gentle
sentences, explained his flattered amazement, and how helplessly he was
in the hands of his friends, who would do with him as they deemed best
for party welfare and for public good