vacancy. I seem to be staring there
still, waiting for the blow destined to shatter this household."

"Nonsense! give me a kiss and fix your thoughts on something more
substantial. What we have to fear and all we have to fear is that I may
lose my election. And that won't kill me, whatever effect it may have on
the party."

"Henry,"--her voice had changed to one more natural, also her manner.
The confidence expressed in this outburst, the vitality, the masculine
attitude he took were producing their effect. "You don't believe in what
I saw or in my fears. Perhaps you are right. I am ready to acknowledge
this; I will try to look upon it all as a freak of my imagination if you
will promise to forget these dreadful days, and if people, other people,
will leave me alone and not print such things about me."

"I am ready to do my part," was his glad reply, "and as for the other
people you mention, we shall soon bring them to book." Raising his
voice, he called out his secretary's name. As it rang loud and cheery
down the hall, the joy and renewed life which had been visible in her
manner lost some of their brightness.

"What are you going to do?" she gasped, with the quickness of doubt and
strong if reasonless apprehension. "Give an order," he explained;
then, as the secretary appeared at our end of the hall, he held out the
journal which he had taken from his wife and indicating the offensive
paragraph, said:

"Find out who did that."

Mr. Steele with a surprised look ran his eyes over the paragraph,
knitting his brows as he did.

"It is calumny," fell from Mrs. Packard's lips as she watched him.

"Most certainly," he assented, with an energy which brought a flush of
pleasure to the humiliated woman's cheek. "It will detain me two days
or more to follow up this matter," he remarked, with a look of inquiry
directed at Mayor Packard.

"Never mind. Two days or a week, it is all one. I would rather lose
votes than pass over such an insult. Pin me down the man who has dared
attack me through my wife, and you will do me the greatest favor one man
can show another."

Mr. Steele bowed. "I can not forego the final consultation we had
planned to hold on the train. May I ride down with you to the station?"

"Certainly; most happy."

Mr. Steele withdrew, after casting a glance of entirely respectful
sympathy at the woman who up to this hour had faced the world without a
shadow between her and it; and, marking the lingerin