generously toward his old chief when the end came, and the promptness
with which Bassett's old guard sought to impeach his motives in fighting
the corporation bill angered him. Threats of retaliation were conveyed
to him from certain quarters; and from less violent sources he heard
much of his ingratitude toward the man who had "made" him. He had failed
in his efforts to secure the passage of several measures whose enactment
was urged by the educational and philanthropic interests of the
community, and this was plainly attributable to the animosity aroused by
his desertion of the corporation bill. He had not finished with this
last measure, which had been passed by Bassett's bi-partisan combination
over the governor's veto. The labor organizations were in arms against
it and had engaged Dan to attack it in the courts.

* * * * *

Sylvia's approval of his course had been as cordial as he could have
asked, and as the spring advanced they were much together. They attended
concerts, the theatre, and lectures, as often as she had time for
relaxation, and they met pretty regularly at Mrs. Owen's dinner table on
Sunday--often running out for long tramps in the country afterward, to
return for supper, and a renewal of their triangular councils. The
Bassetts were to continue at the Bosworth house until June, and when
Marian dashed in upon these Sunday symposiums--sometimes with a young
cavalier she had taken out for a promenade--she gave Dan to understand
that his difficulties with her father made not the slightest difference
to her.

"But, mama!" She spoke of her mother as of one whose views must not
weigh heavily against the world's general good cheer--"mama says she
_never_ trusted you; that there was just that something about you that
didn't seem quite--" Marian would shake her head and sigh suggestively,
whereupon Mrs. Owen would rebuke her and send her off to find the candy
in the sideboard.

Allen, relegated for a time to a sanatorium in the Adirondacks, amused
himself by telegraphing to Marian daily; and he usually managed to time
a message to reach Mrs. Owen's Sunday dinner table with characteristic
remembrances for all who might be in her house. To Dan he wrote a letter
commending his course in the legislature.

"I always knew you would get on Dad's side one of these days. The Great
Experiment is making headway. Don't worry about me. I'm going to live to
be a hundred. There's really