him? And for what? Because of the baby
heart of a girl scarce grown! Was a White House to be lost by such
tawdry argument? Forbidding Richard the door might of itself appear a
meager matter, but who was to say what results might not spring from it?
Senator Hanway had seen the gravest catastrophies grow from reasons
small as mustard seed! A city is burned, and the conflagration has its
start in a cow and a candle! Mrs. Hanway-Harley shall not put his hopes
to jeopardy in squabbles over Dorothy and her truant love. Senator
Hanway felt the hot anxiety of one who, bearing a priceless vase through
the streets, is jostled by the inconsiderate crowd. Domestic politics
and national politics had come to a clash.

Senator Hanway stood staring at Mrs. Hanway-Harley. He required time to
gather control of himself and lay out a verbal line of march. He decided
for the lucid, icy style; it was his favorite manner in the Senate.

"Barbara," said he, "give careful ear to what I shall say. I do not
request, I do not command, I tell you what _must_ be done. I do not
interfere between you and Dorothy; I interfere only between you and Mr.
Storms. That young man is necessary to my plans. He is to come to this
study, freely and without interference. Nor are you, on any occasion, or
for any cause, to affront him or treat him otherwise than with respect."

"But, brother," urged Mrs. Hanway-Harley, "he has trapped Dorothy into a
promise of marriage."

"Why do you object to him?"

"He has no fortune; the man's a beggar!"

"He has his money from the _Daily Tory_, say five thousand a year. That
is as much as I am paid for being Senator."

"There is no parallel! Your salary may be five thousand; but you make
twenty-fold that sum," which was quite true.

"Barbara," remarked Senator Hanway reprovingly, returning to the
original bone of dispute, "why should you insist on this young man
owning millions before he can think of Dorothy? You had nothing, John
had nothing, when you married. You should remember these things."

Mrs. Hanway-Harley refused to remember. There was no reason why she
should. Dorothy was the present issue; and Dorothy was--or would
be--rich.

"I won't go into the business any further," retorted Senator Hanway at
last, with a gesture of irritation and disgust. "I simply tell you that
Mr. Storms is neither to be affronted nor driven away. Should you
disregard my wishes, Barbara, I say to you plainly that I myself will
brin