at a great many of them think that the
railroad meddles in politics. I've tried to find out what they think,
but it is so difficult for a woman to understand. If matters are wrong,
I'm sure my father will right them when he knows the situation. He has
so much to attend to." She paused. Tom was still mopping his forehead.
"You may say anything you like to me, and I shall not take offence."

Tom's admiration of her was heightened by this attitude.

"Austen wouldn't join Mr. Crewe in his little game, anyway," he
said. "When Ham Tooting, Crewe's manager, came to him he kicked him
downstairs."

Victoria burst out laughing.

"I constantly hear of these ferocious deeds which Mr. Vane commits," she
said, "and yet he seems exceptionally good-natured and mild-mannered."

"That's straight--he kicked him downstairs. Served Tooting right, too."

"There does seem to have been an element of justice in it," Victoria
remarked.

"You haven't seen Austen since he left his father?" Mr. Gaylord
inquired.

"Left him! Where--has he gone?"

"Gone up to live with Jabe Jenney. If Austen cared anything about money,
he never would have broken with the old man, who has some little put
away."

"Why did he leave his father?" asked Victoria, not taking the trouble
now to conceal her interest.

"Well," said Tom, "you know they never did get along. It hasn't been
Austen's fault--he's tried. After he came back from the West he stayed
here to please old Hilary, when he might have gone to New York and made
a fortune at the law, with his brains. But after Austen saw the kind of
law the old man practised he wouldn't stand for it, and got an office of
his own."

Victoria's eyes grew serious.

"What kind of law does Hilary Vane practise?" she asked.

Tom hesitated and began to mop his forehead again.

"Please don't mind me," Victoria pleaded.

"Well, all right," said Tom, "I'll tell you the truth, or die for it.
But I don't want to make you-unhappy."

"You will do me a kindness, Mr. Gaylord," she said, "by telling me what
you believe to be true."

There was a note in her voice which young Tom did not understand.
Afterwards, when he reflected about the matter, he wondered if she were
unhappy.

"I don't want to blame Hilary too much," he answered. "I know Austen
don't. Hilary's grown up with that way of doing things, and in the
old days there was no other way. Hilary is the chief counsel for the
Northeastern, and he runs the Republican