will pay it. No one else has got that, Charlie."

"If Burroughs is good for twenty thousand, he's good for more."

"How much do you want? Spit it out!" The briber was disgusted. This was
not the Blair whom he had known in Fort Benton days.

"I'm not soliciting nor making a proposition. But if my vote is worth
anything it's worth twenty-five thousand--yes, thirty thousand dollars!"
Blair, for the first time, looked Burroughs' manager in the eye. If he
got that sum he could leave Montana--and not alone!

"Are you mad?" Moore was aghast. Even his own rapacity had not thought
to hold up Burroughs for such a sum. Thirty thousand dollars for
speaking a man's name in joint assembly! Thus he interpreted selling a
vote.

"No, I'm not mad. But that is my price." Blair also rose, unexpectedly
committed to a fixed statement.

"You'll never get it!" roared Moore. "I'll see you damned first! We'll
find others who aren't so high-priced! You have over-reached this time,
Charlie Blair!" And they parted in unfriendly fashion.

The next day the Honorable Mr. Moore notified Mrs. Latimer that all she
had done for Mr. Burroughs would avail nothing if she failed to secure
the vote of Senator Blair.

[Illustration]

Chapter XI

The Chinese Legend

"Well, well, well! What does this mean?" The doctor looked in amazement
at Miss Blair as she opened the door to his rap, the same evening that
Moore gave his dinner to her brother. Traces of tears were to be seen;
indeed, more tears seemed ready to fall, despite her effort to restrain
them.

"Come right in, doctor!" Winifred made no pretense of answering his
question, but busily engaged herself in pulling the easiest chair to the
cheerful grate fire. "I believe that I am more glad to see you than
anyone else in the world," she added, affectionately, as she motioned
her caller to the comfortable corner. "Now we'll have a nice, long, cozy
evening."

"What does this mean?" repeated the doctor, with the privilege of
friendship, not to be put off.

"You should know better than to ask a woman why her eyes are red--it
isn't polite! Are mine very red?" she asked, ruefully. Before he could
answer: "Let us talk of Fort Benton, and of what good times we'll have
when we are there again to live happy ever after. Really, I mean it,"
she said, earnestly, seeing his questioning face. "I want to
forget--everything but Fort Benton."

Still her visitor looked at her keenly, until she sat si