nning? All that is what I want to know."

"So do I," groaned Colonel Winwood. "I didn't have a wink of sleep last
night."

"I didn't either," said Ursula, "but I don't think it will matter a row
of pins to Paul in his career."

"It will always be up against him," said Ayres.

"Because he has acted like a man?"

"It's the touch of Ruy Blas that I'm afraid of."

"You must remember that he wasn't aware of his relation to the dead man
until the eve of the election."

"But he was aware that he wasn't a descendant of a historical Italian
family, which everyone thought him to be. I don't speak for myself,"
said Ayres. "I'm fond of the chap. One can't help it. He has the charm
of the great gentleman, confound him, and it's all natural. The cloven
hoof has never appeared, because I personally believe there's no cloven
hoof. The beggar was born well bred, and, as to performance--well--he
has been a young meteor across the political sky. Until this election.
Then he was a disappointment. I frankly confess it. I didn't know what
he was playing at. Now I do. Poor chap. I personally am sympathetic.
But what about the cold-blooded other people, who don't know what
you've told me? To them he's the son of an ex-convict--a vendor of
fried fish--I put it brutally from their point of view--who has been
masquerading as a young St. George on horseback. Will he ever be
forgiven? Officially, have I any use for him? You see, I'm responsible
to the party."

"Any party," said Ursula, "would be a congregation of imbeciles who
didn't do their best to develop the genius of Paul Savelli."

"I'm fond of Paul," said Colonel Winwood, in his tired way, "but I
don't know that I would go as far as that."

"It's only because you're a limited male, my dear James. I suppose
Caesar was the only man who really crossed the Rubicon. And the fuss he
made about it! Women jump across with the utmost certainty. My dear
Frank, we're behind Paul, whatever happens. He has been fighting for
his own hand ever since he was a child, it is true. But he has fought
gallantly."

"My dear Miss Winwood," said Frank Ayres, "if there's a man to be
envied, it's the one who has you for his champion!"

"Anyone, my dear Frank, is to be envied," she retorted, "who is
championed by common-sense."

"All these fireworks illuminate nothing," said Colonel Winwood. "I
think we had better ask Paul to come down and see Frank. Would you like
to see him alone?"

"I had rather y