e gravity, "your acquaintance
with Senators Gruff and Dice and Loot and others, and your study of
those statesmen, have encouraged an ambition to make yourself one of
them."

"Yes, sir, if you please, sir."

"And what State do you intend to honor as its Senator?"

"That I shall leave entirely to you, sir. I think you will agree, sir,
that there are several States where the word of the Anaconda should
accomplish what I desire, sir."

"Well," observed Richard, schooling his face to a difficult seriousness,
"there has been much in your recent experiences, Mr. Gwynn, to justify
the thought. It will do no harm were you to take the steps you suggest
towards becoming a citizen, even if it should not end in a seat in the
Senate, a place for which I cannot deny you possess many qualifying
attributes. However, the great thing now is to get across to Europe with
every possible dispatch and have all ready for our coming. We shall be
abroad several months; on our return we may again take up this business
of making you a Senator."

"Thank you, sir; very good, sir!"

Richard became ingenious; pursuing a bright idea, he took occasion to
explain to Mr. Sands that the Hanway report on Northern Consolidated,
which he, Mr. Sands, had been so intelligent as to purloin, having
resulted in certain Wall Street advantages to Mr. Bayard and others, it
was now determined that an annuity should be purchased in his, Mr.
Sands', favor.

"The matter," said Richard, "will receive the attention of Mr. Bayard on
June second. I am told it will provide you an annual income of full
fifteen thousand dollars for the balance of your life."

Mr. Sands did not give way to the least excitement, but said that he was
glad. He would hereafter avoid labor, and devote himself to the
elevation of the workingman as represented in the union of printers. It
is perhaps as well to set forth in this place that Mr. Sands adhered
most nobly to his resolution. In the years that followed he flourished
the terror of publishers and master-printers, advising many strikes for
shorter hours and a longer wage, never failing from his personal fisc to
furnish what halls and beer the exigencies of each strike made
necessary, and wanting which no great industrial movement can survive.

Word of the coming wedding got about, and the gossipy murmur of it
reached the ears of Storri. The news stirred his savage nature to the
dregs.

"June, the first!" sneered Storri, as he paced