he State Legislature you're after, or--Congress?"

The mere words excited Mr. Hutchings; he wanted to be back again in the
East as a victor; he longed for the cultivated amenities and the social
life of Washington. He could not help exclaiming:

"Ah! if it hadn't been for you I'd have been in Congress long ago."

"As a Democrat? Not from this State, I guess."

"What does it matter? Democrat or Republican, the difference now is only
in the name."

"The price is high, Hutchin's. I ask you to give up runnin' for Mayor,
and you ask me for a seat in Congress instead. But--I'll pay it, if you
do as I say. You've no chance in this State as a Democrat; you know that
yourself. To run for Mayor as a Democrat hurts you; that must stop right
now--in your own interest. But what I want from you is that you don't
announce your withdrawal till the day after to-morrow, an' meantime you
say nothin' to the Professor or any one else. Are you agreed?"

Mr. Hutchings paused. The path of his desire lay open before him; the
opportunity was not to be missed; he grew eager. But still there was
something disagreeable in an action which demanded secrecy. He must
think coolly. What was the proposal? What was he giving? Nothing. He
didn't wish to be Mayor with Gulmore and all the City Council against
him. Nothing--except the withdrawal on the very morning of the election.
That would look bad, but he could pretend illness, and he had told the
Professor he didn't care to be Mayor; he had advised him not to mix in
the struggle; besides, Roberts would not suspect anything, and if he
did there'd be no shadow of proof for a long time to come. In the other
scale of the balance he had Gulmore's promise: it was trustworthy, he
knew, but--:

"Do you mean that you'll run me for the next term and get me elected?"

"I'll do all I know, and I guess you'll succeed."

"I have nothing but your word."

"Nothin'."

Again Mr. Hutchings paused. To accept definitively would be dangerous if
the conversation had had listeners. It was characteristic of the place
and time that he could suspect a man of laying such a trap, upon
whose word he was prepared to rely. Mr. Gulmore saw and understood his
hesitation:

"I said we were alone, Hutchin's, and I meant it. Jest as I say now,
if you withdraw and tell no one and be guided by me in becoming a
Republican, I'll do what I ken to get you into Congress," and as he
spoke he stood up.

Mr. Hutchings rose, too, and sa