ge, cheerful
apartment, with a wood-fire burning on the broad hearth. The members of
the committee were already there, and Mr. Goodnight stood importantly,
back to the fire, with a hand in either pocket, and a coat-tail under
either arm. Mr. Crayon leaned against the wall and gently stroked his
arm.

They exchanged the usual commonplaces about the weather and the
campaign, and, as they spoke, most of the committee looked darkly at
Harley, but they said nothing. It was quite evident that his presence
was a matter arranged definitely by Mr. Grayson, and it was politic for
them to endorse it.

Mr. Grayson settled himself easily into an armchair, and looked around
as if to say he was ready to listen. Harley stood by a window, careless
in manner, seemingly, but never more watchful in his life, and on fire
with curiosity.

Mr. Goodnight glanced at Mr. Crayon, and Mr. Crayon glanced at Mr.
Goodnight. There came at once to Harley an amusing thought about putting
the bell on the tiger. But perhaps these men regarded themselves as
tigers.

Mr. Goodnight gave a premonitory cough, and taking his hands out of his
pockets let his coat-tails drop. This also was a signal.

"Mr. Grayson," he said, "we have admired your campaign--have admired it
greatly; we have appreciated the skill with which you have kept away
from dangerous subjects, and we have been sure that it would continue to
the end, but I must confess that this confidence of ours was shaken a
little to-day--I trust that I am not hurting your feelings."

"Oh no, not at all. I also have a statement to make," said Jimmy
Grayson, ingenuously. "But I shall be glad to hear yours first."

The big men were somewhat disconcerted, and Mr. Crayon spoke up briskly:

"Great issues at stake. In such emergencies Presidential nominees must
hear advice."

"You are right," said Jimmy Grayson, gravely. "A Presidential nominee
ought always to listen to advice."

Mr. Goodnight's face cleared.

"We feel that we are in a position to speak plainly, Mr. Grayson," he
said. "We are elderly men, used to the handling of large affairs,
and--and this cannot be said of all others in our party. We noticed
to-day how you skirted dangerously upon the tariff question, which we
think--in fact, which we know--should be avoided. It is a dangerous
thing, and we trust it is only an indiscretion that will not be
repeated; or, perhaps, it might be a little sop to these people out
here, who really do not