evens as to how he had
allowed "his Senator" to engage as his secretary "this inquisitive man
Haines, a reporter who didn't know his place."

"Here we've put Langdon on naval affairs because we knew he didn't
understand what's going on, and you, Stevens, supposed to be the
finished, product of the political mill, _you_ fall asleep and let
him take up a man whom nobody can control, one who knows the inside
workings of Washington and who will take par-tic-u-lar pleasure in
teaching your fellow Mississippian far too much for our good."

Stevens' reply, to effect that probably Haines would consent to
be "taken care of" if judiciously approached, was derided by the
observant Peabody. "A young reformer grows fat on notoriety," he
laughed, "and think what a scandal he would have for his newspaper if
we took a chance on disclosing our hand to him. No, no, Stevens; we
must have him watched and try to discredit him in some way. Perhaps we
can make Langdon believe that his secretary is dishonest."

Congressman Norton was another man who was dismayed at the formation
of the firm of Langdon and Haines. Young Randolph, too, could not
forget the defeat and humiliation he had previously suffered at
Haines' hands and grew more bitter as the reporter's influence over
his father grew stronger. But Haines' most effective enemy had arisen
in the person he would be the last to suspect; one whom he unceasingly
admired, one whose very words he had come to cherish. And possibly
it was not all her own fault that Carolina Langdon had enlisted her
services, subtle and quite overwhelming (owing to Haines' fervent
worship of her), against the secretary. Perhaps the social system of
which she had become a part in Washington had something to do with the
craving to become a leader in that fascinating world whose dazzling
variety and infinite diversion seemed to fill her soul with all
that it yearned for. Love she had, for she had now promised to wed
Congressman Norton. She loved him fondly, she had confessed to him,
and gradually she came to work desperately against Haines, who,
she had been convinced by Norton and Randolph, would prove a
stumbling-block to them, to her father, to herself in her career at
the capital, if his influence over the Senator should be permitted to
exist or to increase. And so on the surface Carolina Langdon was most
amiable to the secretary, encouraged him in his attentions to her, led
him surely into her power, Norton hav