fer."

"She's not the sort of girl who would be dependent in any case. She
holds rather altruistic ideas in fact," remarked Harwood. "I mean," he
added, seeing that Bassett waited for him to explain himself, "that Miss
Garrison feels that she starts life in debt to the world--by reason of
her own opportunities and so on; she expects to make payments on that
debt."

"In debt?" Bassett repeated vacantly. "Oh, not literally, I see! She
expects to teach and help others in that way. That's commendable. But
let me see."

He had taken an unsharpened lead pencil from his pocket and was slipping
it through his fingers absently, allowing its blunt ends to tap the arm
of his chair at intervals. After a moment's silence he plunged into his
own affairs.

"You probably saw my tip to Thatcher in the 'Courier'? I guess everybody
has seen it by this time," he added grimly; and he went on as though
making a statement his mind had thoroughly rehearsed: "Thatcher and I
have been pretty thick. We've been in a good many business deals
together. We've been useful to each other. He had more money than I had
to begin with, but I had other resources--influence and so on that he
needed. I guess we're quits on the business side. You may be interested
to know that I never had a cent of money in his breweries and
distilleries; but I've helped protect the traffic in return for support
he has given some of my own enterprises. I never owned a penny in that
Fraserville brewery, for instance; but I've been pointed out as its
owner. They've got the idea here in Indiana that saloons are my chief
joy in life; but nothing is farther from the truth. When Mrs. Bassett
has been troubled about that I have always been able to tell her with a
good conscience that I hadn't a penny in the business. I've frankly
antagonized legislation directed against the saloon, for I've never
taken any stock in this clamor of the Prohibitionists and temperance
cranks generally; but I've stood consistently for a proper control.
Thatcher and I got along all right until he saw that the party was
coming into power again and got the senatorial bee in his bonnet. He's
got the idea that he can buy his way in; and to buy a seat he's got to
buy my friends. That's a clear proposition, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir; I haven't seen that he had any personal influence worth
counting."

"Exactly. Now, I don't intend that Ed Thatcher shall buy a seat in the
United States Senate if our party in In