light the fire and keep blowing
it with their bellows, and the people stand around and seem to show a
sort of calm relish in watching the operation. And when it is all over
not a bit of good has been done."

"I'm afraid I have wasted an evening for you, sir. I'm sorry. I hoped
the troubles of those men, when you heard them at first hand, would
interest you."

"Interest me! Confound it all, you have wrecked my peace of mind! I knew
it all before. But I'm selfish, like almost everybody else. I kept
away where I couldn't hear about these things. Now, if I sleep soundly
to-night I'll be ashamed to look up at my father's portrait when I walk
into my office to-morrow morning. Why didn't you have better sense
than to coax me into your infernal meeting?" He rapped his cane angrily
against the curbstone as he strode on. "And the trouble with me is,"
continued Mr. Converse, with much bitterness, "I know the conditions are
such in this state that a meeting like that can be assembled in every
city and town--and the complaints will be just and demand help.
But there's no organization--it's only blind kittens miauling. It's
damnable!"

"But this is the kind of country where some mighty quick changes can be
made when the people do get their eyes open," suggested the young man.

Mr. Converse merely grunted, tapping his cane more viciously.

They were on the frontier of the Eleventh Ward now. The brighter lights
of the avenues of up-town blazed before them.

"Then you will not go into politics?" inquired Farr.

"I'd sooner sail for India with a cargo of hymn-books and give
singing-lessons to Bengal tigers."

"Good night, sir," said Farr. He halted on the street corner which
marked the boundary of the ward.

"Good night, sir!" replied Mr. Converse, striding on.

The young man watched him out of sight. He heard the angry clack of the
cane on the stones long after the Honorable Archer Converse had turned
the next corner.

"Maxim in the case of a true gentleman," mused Farr: "tap his conscience
on the shoulder, point your finger at the enemy, say nothing, simply
stand back and give conscience plenty of elbow-room--it needs no help.
There, by the grace of God, goes the next governor of this state."

XX

CONSIDERATION: ONE DAUGHTER

On the morning following his discomfiture Richard Dodd posted himself
in a little tobacco-shop opposite the Trelawny Apartment-house. Lurking
behind cigar-boxes in the window, he held the d