f the parlors, Danvers found the doctor and soon
afterward they returned to their hotel.

[Illustration]

Chapter VI

Il Trovatore

The next morning Judge Latimer was surprised to find his wife taking a
sudden interest in politics.

"Why is there so much opposition to Mr. Burroughs for United States
senator?" she inquired.

"Several reasons," he answered, evasively, thinking she would not be
interested to pursue the subject.

"But he will be elected."

"That remains to be seen."

"He has thirty pledged out of the whole ninety-four, and several----"

"How do you know? Where did you get your information?" Latimer spoke
sharply.

"Mr. Moore--nobody talked of anything else, it seems to me," amended
Mrs. Latimer, with what carelessness she could assume. "Since the
legislators have been arriving I have heard nothing discussed so much as
Mr. Burroughs' chances of winning the election."

"That comes of living in a hotel," said the judge, bitterly. "Burroughs'
headquarters are on this floor, too, confound it! I wish we had not
given up our home."

"I don't," cried Eva. "Politics are lots of fun! I had no idea how much
until this winter. It's so exciting!"

She did not tell her husband that the Honorable William Moore had been
at considerable pains to interest her in the coming struggle, even
prolonging his frequent calls unduly, in giving her an insight (so far
as he thought necessary) into the workings of practical politics as
expounded and promulgated by Mr. Burroughs and himself. So delicately
had he broached what had been in his mind since the night of Eva's
dinner party that before she was aware she had promised that she would
do what she could to forward Burroughs' cause with recalcitrant members.
The political manager had assured her that his patron, in his gratitude,
would make the reward for her services magnificently great.

Mrs. Latimer had not been cajoled into this without some scruples, for
she well knew what her husband would think. She remembered, too,
certain interviews of her own with Burroughs, which she would have liked
to forget; but it was many years ago that he had made love to her, and
she succeeded in allaying the troublesome reproaches of conscience by
the justification of the urgent need of retrieving their fortunes. If
Arthur could be made minister to some foreign capital (her ambition had
vaulted to Berlin) he need never suspect her share in its offer.

Mr. Moore had tol