eholders in the concern?--And these little
arrangements of which you speak.--should I be doing an unprecedented
thing if I were to accede to your proposition?"

"Now you're talking like a sensible woman--a woman who has some idea of
running municipal affairs in a business way," the man replied. "While I
do not wish to violate any confidences,--I may say you will not find
yourself the first, nor the second official who is 'in it,' with the
Boulevard Railway scheme."

"Well, Mr. Vickery, I want to think this over a little," said Gertrude.
"I cannot decide today."

"Take all the time you want," replied the promoter, cheerfully. "Only,
of course, the sooner we get this through, the better it will be for us
all."

"I see," answered the Mayor. "And now, good morning, Mr. Vickery."

When she was alone again she sat back in her chair and stared hard at
her desk for a good five minutes.

"I am beginning to see light," said she at last.

Meanwhile, Orlando Vickery was getting into his automobile and whirling
away down the street, chuckling to himself.

"Reformers are just like other folks," he told himself. "Catch 'em just
as easy as a bird--only put a little salt on their tails, in the shape
of good paying stocks, or a sufficient number of good hard, gold
plunks."

CHAPTER XV

Setting the Trap

Her next two days were given up to the study of the treasurer's
books--and the financial system of government in Roma. The process
necessitated looking up many details regarding salaries and other
expenses, which took time and careful scrutiny on the part of both her
and her office assistants. What the Mayor found out the first day led
her to send for a trained accountant, whom she set quietly at work on
the second morning. That night she sent for Armstrong to come to her
house.

"I am beginning to realize what it means to a business man to have a
good home," she said to her cousin as she drew her pet easy chair up to
the open fire in her library,--for although it was May the nights were
chilly. "I never appreciated fully what it means to have a comfortable
house well-kept;--to draw up after a hard day's work before one's own
fire--to let the world go by while I 'take mine ease in mine inn.' I
tell you, Jessie, if women all realized what this means, there would be
more happy homes and fewer divorces."

"I suppose so," replied her cousin. "Yet there is something to be said
on the other side. I get so tired of stay