hastily across his dimmed eyes.

David consulted his watch.

"It's luncheon time, Uncle Barnabas. We'll go over to my hotel. The
executive mansion is undergoing repairs."

"I want more'n a lunch, Dave! I ain't et nuthin' sence four o'clock
this mornin'."

"I'll see that you get enough to eat," laughed David.

In the lobby of the hotel a reporter came quickly up to them.

"How are you, governor?" he asked, with his eyes fastened falcon-like
on Barnabas.

David returned the salutation and presented his companion.

"Mr. Brumble from Lafferton?" asked the reporter, with an insinuating
emphasis on the name of the town.

"Yes," replied the old man in surprise. "I don't seem to reckleck
seein' you before."

"I never met you, but I have heard of you. May I ask what your
business in the city is, Mr. Brumble?"

The old man gave him a keen glance from beneath his shaggy brows.

"Wal, I don't know as thar's any law agin your askin'! I came to see
the guvner."

David, with a laugh of pure delight at the discomfiture of the
reporter, led the way to the dining room.

"You're as foxy as ever, Uncle Barnabas. You routed that newspaper man
in good shape."

"So that's what he was! I didn't know but he was one of them
three-card-monty sharks. Wal, I s'pose it's his trade to ask
questions."

Barnabas' loquacity always ceased entirely at meal times, so his
silence throughout the luncheon was not surprising to David.

"Wal, Dave," he said as he finished, "ef this is your lunch I'd hate
to hev to eat what you'd call dinner. I never et so much before at one
settin'!"

"We'll go over to the club now and have a smoke," suggested David.
"Then you can go back to my office with me and see what I have to
undergo every afternoon."

At the club they met several of David's friends--not politicians--who
met Barnabas with courtesy and composure. When they returned to
David's private office Barnabas was ensconced comfortably in an
armchair while David listened with patience to the long line of
importuners, each receiving due consideration. The last interview was
not especially interesting and Barnabas' attention was diverted. His
eyes fell on a newspaper, which he picked up carelessly. It was the
issue of the night before, and his own name was conspicuous in big
type. He read the article through and returned the paper to its place
without being observed by David, whose back was turned to him.

"Wal, Dave," he said, when the las