coin."

"Jabel has good points, Elk," said the Congressman; "if you can
understand the passion of the town builder you can apprehend him. He
has devoted his life to Ross Valley, and the only text of Scripture he
finds it hard to understand is, that he who ruleth his soul is greater
than he who buildeth a city."

The two brothers sat together in the main room; the day, at the
windows, was growing grayer, and they were silent for a while.

The face of Elk MacNair had been growing long during the whole
afternoon, but with an assumed gayety he had sought to make the hours
pass pleasantly, and when his thoughtful and modest brother endeavored
to argue with him that his legal labors were wearing him out, Elk
MacNair turned the conversation off in a cheerful way by saying:

"Arthur, I have arranged that you shall have the chairmanship of a
first-rate committee."

"How arranged it?"

"Oh, these things can be managed, you know. Every good position in
Washington has to be begged for, or brought about by strategic
approaches. I know the Speaker and the Speaker's friends below him,
and the old chairman of the committee where I wish you to be; and,
among us all, you have obtained the rare distinction, for a new
member, of going to the head of one of the best of the second-class
committees."

"I do not like this, Elk," said Arthur. "I hope I am without ambition,
particularly of that sort which would annihilate processes and labors,
and seek to obtain distinction by an easy path. I do not know that I
shall make a speech during the whole of this Congress, although I
shall try to be in my seat every day, and to vote when I am well
informed. What committee is it that you have been at such pains to put
me at the head of it?"

"The Committee on Ancient Contracts."

Arthur MacNair, who had not much color at the best of times, turned a
little pale.

"Elk," said he, "there is a bad sound in that word 'contracts.' Of
course, I do not take much stock in the widespread scandal about our
Government giving away contract work to do from base or personal
considerations; but I have a little belief that one ought to avoid
even the appearance of evil. I think I must refuse to go on that
committee."

Elk MacNair seemed to grow darker and older, and his face assumed an
intensity of expression which his brother did not perceive.

"Pshaw! Arty," he said, with agitation, "everything here goes by
friends. You brought with you no renown, no s