ingers at her. She had wondered more than once what Flossy
would think when she heard that she was the wife of a Representative.

"Do you know these people personally?" she inquired, holding up the
envelope.

"Yes. They are my--er--financial representatives in New York. I have
considerable dealings with them."

Selma had not up to this time concerned herself as to the details of her
husband's affairs. He had made clear to her that his income from his
profession was large, and she knew that he was interested in a variety
of enterprises. That he should have connections with a firm of New York
brokers was one more proof to her of his common sense and capacity to
take advantage of opportunities.

"Mr. Littleton used to buy stocks through Williams and Van Horne--only a
few. He was not very clever at it, and failed to make the most of the
chances given him to succeed in that way. We knew the Williamses at one
time very well. They lived in the same block with us for several years
after we were married."

"Williams is a capable, driving sort of fellow. Bold, but on the whole
sagacious, I think," answered Lyons, with demure urbanity. It was rather
a shock to him that his wife should learn that he had dealings in the
stock market. He feared lest it might seem to her inconsistent with his
other propensities--his religious convictions and his abhorrence of
corporate rapacity. He preferred to keep such transactions private for
fear they should be misunderstood. At heart he did not altogether
approve of them himself. They were a part of his evolution, and had
developed by degrees until they had become now so interwoven with his
whole financial outlook that he could not escape from them at the moment
if he would. Indeed some of them were giving him anxiety. He had
supposed that the letter in question contained a request for a
remittance to cover depreciation in his account. Instead he had read
with some annoyance a confidential request from Williams that he would
work for a certain bill which, in his capacity as a foe of monopoly, he
had hoped to be able to oppose. It offended his conscience to think that
he might be obliged secretly to befriend a measure against which his
vote must be cast. As has been intimated, he would have preferred that
his business affairs should remain concealed from his wife. Yet her
remarks were unexpectedly and agreeably reassuring. They served to
furnish a fresh indication on her part of intelligent s