's business affairs than he would think of
intruding in my household duties."

"Naturally, Genevieve. And very sweet and dear of you! But I'm sure you
will see how very important this is. Here we are, right at the beginning
of his campaign. Those vulgar women are going to hound him. They've
begun already. As our committee wrote him last week, it is vitally
important that he should declare himself unequivocally at once."

"Oh, yes," murmured Genevieve, "of course. I can see that."

The doors swung open. A thin little man of forty to fifty stood there,
a dry but good-humored man, with many wrinkles about his quizzical blue
eyes, and sandy hair at the sides and back of an otherwise bald head.
He was smartly dressed in a homespun Norfolk suit. He waved a cap of
homespun in greeting.

"Afternoon, ladies! Genevieve, a bachelor's admiration and respect! I
hope that boy George has got sense enough to be proud of you. But they
haven't at that age. They're all for themselves."

"Oh no, Uncle Martin," cried Genevieve, "George is the most
generous----"

Mr. Martin Jaffry flicked his cap. "All right. All right! He is." And
slowly retreated.

Mrs. Brewster-Smith, an eager light in her eyes, moved part way across
the room. "But we can't let you run away like this, Mr. Jaffry. Do sit
down and tell us about the work you are doing at the Country Club. Is it
to be bowling alley _and_ swimming pool----"

"Bowling alley _and_ swimming pool, yes. Tell me, chick, might a humble
constituent speak to the great man?"

Genevieve hesitated. "I'm sure he'd love to see you, Uncle Martin. But
he _did_ say----"

"Not to be disturbed by _any_body, eh?"

"Yes, Uncle Martin. It's a very important statement he has to prepare
before----"

"Good day, then. You look fine in the old house, chick!"

Mr. Jaffry donned his cap of homespun, ran down the steps and out the
front walk, hopped into his eight-cylinder roadster, and was off down
the street in a second. There was a sharp decisiveness about his exit,
and about the sudden speed of his machine; all duly noted by Mrs.
Brewster-Smith, who had gone so far as to move down the room to the
front window and watch the performance with narrowed eyes. The Jaffry
Building stands at the southwest corner of Fountain Square. It boasts
six stories, mosaic flooring in the halls, and the only passenger
elevator in Whitewater. The ground floor was given over to Humphrey's
drug store; and most of Humphrey's