signed by his friends, he "nobly accomplished the duty
allotted him of preserving the rights of property while respecting the
rights of the people, of keeping the peace according to his oath, and
keeping faith with the masses, to which he belonged, in their struggle
against monopoly."

The rich and prosperous people, as their manner is, congratulated
themselves on their escape, and gave no thought to the questions which
had come so near to an issue of fire and blood. In this city of two
hundred thousand people, two or three dozen politicians continued as
before to govern it, to assess and to spend its taxes, to use it as
their property and their chattel. The rich and intelligent kept on
making money, building fine houses, and bringing up children to hate
politics as they did, and in fine to fatten themselves as sheep which
should be mutton whenever the butcher was ready. There was hardly a
millionaire on Algonquin Avenue who knew where the ward meetings of his
party were held. There was not an Irish laborer in the city but knew
his way to his ward club as well as to mass.

Among those who had taken part in the late exciting events and had now
reverted to private life was Sam Sleeny. His short sentence had
expired; he had paid his fine and come back to Matchin's. But he was
not the quiet, contented workman he had been. He was sour, sullen, and
discontented. He nourished a dull grudge against the world. He had
tried to renew friendly relations with Maud, but she had repulsed him
with positive scorn. Her mind was full of her new prospects, and she
did not care to waste time with him. The scene in the rose-house
rankled in his heart; he could not but think that her mind had been
poisoned by Farnham, and his hate gained intensity every hour.

In this frame of mind he fell easily into the control of Offitt. That
worthy had not come under the notice of the law for the part he took in
the attack on the Belding house; he had not been recognized by
Farnham's men, nor denounced by his associates; and so, after a day or
two of prudential hiding, he came to the surface again. He met Sam at
the very door of the House of Correction, sympathized with him,
flattered him, gained his full confidence at last, and held him ready
for some purpose which was vague even in his own brain. He was
determined to gain possession of Maud, and he felt it must be through
some crime, the manner of which was not quite clear to him. If he could
use Sa