was not
an indulgent smile, nor the smile of a man who has stumbled upon
another man's secret. The smile was rather exultant. He leaned against
the mantel and studied the face in its varied expressions. He nodded
approvingly. It was a lovely face; it was more than lovely,--it was
tender and strong. Presently he returned to his chair and sat down,
the photograph still in his hand. And in this position Warrington
found him.

"Ah, you sly dog!" he hailed, setting down the glasses and pouring out
a liberal bumper. "So I've caught you? Well, you're not the only man
who has been conquered by that very photograph." He had half a notion
to go in and bring her out; but then, women are such finicky beings!

Bennington laid aside the photograph, a certain reverence in his
action that in ordinary times would not have escaped Warrington's
notice.

"What's this to be?" asked Bennington, lifting his glass and stirring
the ice.

"Immer und immer, as the German has it," Warrington replied.

"For ever and ever, then!"

And the two lightly touched glasses, with that peculiar gravity which
always accompanies such occasions.

"When a man drinks your health in bad whisky, look out for him; but
this whisky is very good, Dick." Bennington set down his glass and
wiped his lips. "It is very good, indeed."

"Well, how are things up in Herculaneum?" asked Warrington. "You know,
or ought to know, that I get up there only once a year."

"Things are not very well. There's the devil to pay in politics, and
some day I may have a jolly long strike on my hands," grimly. "But I
shall know exactly what to do. That man McQuade owns about all the
town now. He controls congressmen, state senators and assemblymen, and
the majority of the Common Council is his, body and soul. Only
recently he gave the traction company a new right of way. Not a penny
went into the city's purse. And you know these street-railways; they
never pay their taxes. A franchise for ninety-nine years; think of
it!"

"Why don't you men wake up and oust McQuade? I'll tell you right here,
Jack, you have no one to blame but yourself. Scoundrels like McQuade
are always in the minority; but they remain in power simply because
men like you think politics a dirty business and something for an
honest man to keep out of. Run for mayor yourself, if you want clean
politics. Rouse up an independent party."

"Do you know what they call me up there?" Bennington laughed.

"I confess to i