bent upon him by the strangers to whom he was introduced, and many
acquaintances were at pains to recall themselves to him. Her husband was
a presentable man anywhere, and she resolved to deal more leniently with
his offenses in future. The governorship or a seat in the United States
Senate would amply repay her for the heartaches so often communicated by
the clipping bureau.

Mrs. Bassett prided herself on knowing who's who in her native state and
even she was satisfied that the gathering was representative. The "list"
had not been submitted for her approval; if it had been she might have
deleted certain names and substituted others. She was unable, for
example, to justify the presence of the senior Thatcher, though her
husband assured her in a tone of magnanimity that it was all right; and
she had never admired Colonel Ramsay, though to be sure nearly every one
else did. Was not the Colonel handsome, courteous, genial, eloquent,
worthy of all admiration? Mrs. Owen had chosen a few legislators from
among her acquaintances, chiefly gentlemen who had gallantly aided some
of her measures at earlier sessions of the assembly. This accounted for
the appearance of a lone Prohibitionist who by some miracle appeared
biennially in the lower house, and for a prominent labor leader whom
Mrs. Owen liked on general principles. The statesman who has already
loomed darkly in these pages as the Tallest Delegate was taller than
ever in a dress coat, but in all ways a citizen of whom Vermillion
County had reason to be proud. John Ware and Admiral Martin, finding
themselves uncomfortable in the crowd, rescued Thatcher and adjourned
with him to a room set apart for smokers. There they were regarded with
mild condescension by young gentlemen who rushed in from the dance,
mopping their brows and inhaling cigarettes for a moment, wearing the
melancholy air becoming to those who support the pillars of society.

At ten o'clock the receiving line had dissolved and the dance was in
full swing above. Sylvia had volunteered to act as Mrs. Owen's adjutant,
and she was up and down stairs many times looking after countless
details. She had just dispatched Allen to find partners for some
out-of-town girls when Morton Bassett accosted her in the hall.

"I'm thirsty, Miss Garrison; which punch bowl do you recommend to a man
of my temperate habits?"

She turned to the table and took a glass from Mrs. Owen's butler and
held it up.

"The only differenc