hy's griefs, Mrs. Hanway-Harley showed even greater
ingenuity. Dorothy and Richard had quarreled; Mrs. Hanway-Harley was
sharp to note that now she neither saw nor heard of Richard. Also,
Dorothy came to the dinner table when Storri was there, and neither fled
to her room nor called Bess to her shoulder on hearing that nobleman's
name announced. Mrs. Hanway-Harley saw how the land lay; Dorothy took a
more lenient view of Storri when now her fancy for Richard was wearing
dim. After all, it had been only a fancy; it asked just a trifle of
care, and the happy denouement would be as Mrs. Hanway-Harley wished.

Mrs. Hanway-Harley began now to play her game exceeding deep. She would
say nothing of Richard; to name him would serve to keep him in Dorothy's
memory. She would say nothing of Storri; to speak of him would heat
Dorothy's obstinacy, and Mrs. Hanway-Harley had learned not to desire
that. No, she would be wisely, forbearingly diplomatic; the present
arrangement was perfect for the ends in view. Storri came to the house;
Richard stayed away; the conclusion was natural and solitary, and
Dorothy would marry Storri. Mrs. Hanway-Harley, fully understanding the
currents of events and the flowing thereof, became serenely joyful, and
the charm of her manner gained accent from those clouds so visibly
resting upon Mr. Harley and Dorothy. Yes, indeed; it must not be written
that the sun did not shine for Mrs. Hanway-Harley, whose conversation
the satirical Storri told the San Reve was as the conversation of a
magpie.

* * * * *

Tuesday came, and the President of this republic shook a pugnacious fist
beneath the German nose. Some impression of the weird suddenness of the
maneuver might have been gathered from the comment of Senator Gruff.
Speaking for the Senate, that sagacious man remarked:

"It came down upon us like a pan of milk from a top shelf!"

In Wall Street the effect was all that Mr. Bayard foretold. Prices began
to melt and dwindle like ice in August. Panic prevailed; three brokerage
firms fell, a dozen more were rocking on their foundations.

In the midst of the hubbub, Senator Hanway sent for Richard. Our
statesman's smile was bland, his brow untroubled.

"You see I do not forget," said Senator Hanway sweetly. "I promised that
I'd give you an exclusive story when the committee on Northern
Consolidated was ready to report. Here is the report, it was finished
last evening; I have