riation last winter, but that you went to
the legislature and gave an example of lobbying that made the tough old
railroad campaigners green with envy."

"I reckon I did! I told the members of that committee that if they cut
that appropriation I'd go into their counties and spend every cent I've
got fighting 'em if they ever ran for office again. Joshua, fill the
glasses."

Sylvia was anxious to know the rest of the story.

"I hope they gave you the money, Mrs. Owen," she said.

Did they give it to me? Why, child, they raised it twenty thousand
dollars! I had to hold 'em down. Then Morton Bassett pulled it through
the senate for me. I told him if he didn't I'd cut his acquaintance."

"There's Ed Thatcher, too, if we're restricted to the Democratic camp,"
the minister was saying. "Thatcher has a fortune to use if he ever wants
to try for something big in politics, which doesn't seem likely."

"He has a family that can spend his money," said Mrs. Martin. "What
would he want with an office anyway? The governorship would bore him to
death."

"It might tickle him to go to the senate, particularly if he had a score
to clean up in connection with it," remarked Ware.

"Just what do you mean by that?" asked the admiral.

"Well," Ware replied, "he and Bassett are as thick as thieves just now
in business operations. If some day it came about that they didn't get
on so well,--if Bassett tried to drop him as they say he has sometimes
dropped men when he didn't have any more use for them,--then Thatcher's
sporting blood might assert itself. I should be sorry for Bassett if
that time came."

"Edward Thatcher knows a horse," interposed Mrs. Owen. "I like Edward
Thatcher."

"I've fished with Bassett," said the minister. "A good fisherman ought
to make a good politician; there's a lot, I guess, in knowing just how
to bait the hook, or where to drop the fly, and how to play your fish.
And Bassett is a man of surprising tastes. He's a book collector,--rare
editions and fine bindings and that sort of thing."

"Is it possible! The newspapers that abuse him never mention those
things, of course," said Mrs. Martin.

A brief restraint fell upon the company, as they realized suddenly that
they were discussing the husband of their hostess's niece, whom the
opposition press declared to be the most vicious character that had ever
appeared in the public life of the state. The minister had spoken well
of him; the others did not know h