the senator, smiling gravely, "it is no light
responsibility to urge a country into war."

"It is no light responsibility," Arkwright answered, "to know you
have the chance to save the lives of thousands of little children and
helpless women and to let the chance pass."

"Quite so, that is quite true," said the senator. "Well, good-morning. I
shall let you know to-morrow."

Young Livingstone went down in the elevator with Arkwright, and when
they had reached the sidewalk stood regarding him for a moment in
silence.

"You mustn't count too much on Stanton, you know," he said kindly; "he
has a way of disappointing people."

"Ah, he can never disappoint me," Arkwright answered confidently, "no
matter how much I expected. Besides, I have already heard him speak."

"I don't mean that, I don't mean he is disappointing as a speaker.
Stanton is a great orator, I think. Most of those Southerners are, and
he's the only real orator I ever heard. But what I mean is, that he
doesn't go into things impulsively; he first considers himself, and then
he considers every other side of the question before he commits himself
to it. Before he launches out on a popular wave he tries to find out
where it is going to land him. He likes the sort of popular wave that
carries him along with it where every one can see him; he doesn't fancy
being hurled up on the beach with his mouth full of sand."

"You are saying that he is selfish, self-seeking?" Arkwright demanded
with a challenge in his voice. "I thought you were his friend."

"Yes, he is selfish, and yes, I am his friend," the young man answered,
smiling; "at least, he seems willing to be mine. I am saying nothing
against him that I have not said to him. If you'll come back with me up
the elevator I'll tell him he's a self-seeker and selfish, and with
no thought above his own interests. He won't mind. He'd say I cannot
comprehend his motives. Why, you've only to look at his record. When the
Venezuelan message came out he attacked the President and declared he
was trying to make political capital and to drag us into war, and that
what we wanted was arbitration; but when the President brought out the
Arbitration Treaty he attacked that too in the Senate and destroyed
it. Why? Not because he had convictions, but because the President had
refused a foreign appointment to a friend of his in the South. He has
been a free silver man for the last ten years, he comes from a free
silver state,