s of Georgia, Gray of
Ohio--"

"Whew," whistled the boss, "Gray of Ohio, why he's on the inside."

"Yes, and I can't see what's the matter with him, he's got his
position, and he ought to keep his mouth shut."

"Oh, there are ways of applying the screw. Go on."

"Then, too, there's Shackelford of Mississippi, Duncan of South
Carolina, Stowell of Kentucky, and a lot of smaller fry who are not
worth mentioning."

"Are they organized?"

"Yes, Courtney has seen to that, the forces are compact."

"We must split them. How is the bishop?"

"Neutral."

"Any influence?"

"Lots of it."

"How's your young man, the one for whom you've been soliciting a
place--what's his name?"

Miss Kirkman did her womanhood the credit of blushing, "Joseph
Aldrich, you mean. You can trust to me to see that he's on the right
side."

"Happy is the man who has the right woman to boss him, and who has
sense enough to be bossed by her; his path shall be a path of roses,
and his bed a flowery bed of ease. Now to business. They must not
denounce the administration. What are the conditions of membership in
this convention?"

"Any one may be present, but it costs a fee of five dollars for the
privilege of the floor."

Mr. Hamilton turned to the desk and made out a check. He handed it to
Miss Kirkman, saying, "Cash this, and pack that convention for the
administration. I look to you and the people you may have behind you
to check any rash resolutions they may attempt to pass. I want you to
be there every day and take notes of the speeches made, and their
character and tenor. I shall have Mr. Richardson there also to help
you. The record of each man's speech will be sent to his central
committee, and we shall know how to treat him in the future. You
know, Miss Kirkman, it is our method to help our friends and to crush
our enemies. I shall depend upon you to let me know which is which.
Good-morning."

"Good-morning, Mr. Hamilton."

"And, oh, Miss Kirkman, just a moment. Frank," the secretary came in,
"bring me that jewel case out of the safe. Here, Miss Kirkman, Mrs.
Hamilton told me if you came in to ask if you would mind running past
the safety deposit vaults and putting these in for her?"

"Certainly not," said Miss Kirkman.

This was one of the ways in which Miss Kirkman was made to remember
her race. And the relation to that race, which nothing in her face
showed, came out strongly in her willingness thus to serve. The
confide