net Ministers.
More than that, I've introduced him into society, put him in a dress
coat,--such a figure!--and you know how the best folk worship everything
that is outre as the sincere thing. I've made him a complete success.
Why, only the other night, when Senator Misnancy and Judge Fitzdawdle
were here, after making him tell his story,--which you know I think he
really believes,--I sang 'There came to the beach a poor Exile of Erin,'
and my husband told me afterwards it was worth at least a dozen votes."

"But about this rival of yours,--this niece of Garcia's?"

"Another of your blunders; you men know nothing of women. Firstly, she's
a swarthy little brunette, with dots for eyes; and strides like a man,
dresses like a dowdy, don't wear stays, and has no style. Then, she's a
single woman, and alone; and, although she affects to be an artist, and
has Bohemian ways, don't you see she can't go into society without a
chaperon or somebody to go with her? Nonsense."

"But," persisted Wiles, "she must have some power; there's Judge Mason
and Senator Peabody, who are constantly talking about her; and Dinwiddie
of Virginia escorted her through the Capitol the other day."

Mistress Hopkinson laughed. "Mason and Peabody aspire to be thought
literary and artistic, and Dinwiddie wanted to pique ME!"

"But Thatcher is no fool--"

"Is Thatcher a lady's man?" queried the lady suddenly.

"Hardly, I should say," responded Wiles. "He pretends to be absorbed in
his swindle and devoted to his mine; and I don't think that even you--"
he stopped with a slight sneer.

"There, you are misunderstanding me again, and, what is worse, you are
misunderstanding your case. Thatcher is pleased with her because he has
probably seen no one else. Wait till he comes to Washington and has an
opportunity for comparison;" and she cast a frank glance at her mirror,
where Wiles, with a sardonic bow, left her standing.

Mr. Gashwiler was quite as confident of his own success with Congress.
"We are within a few days of the end of the session. We will manage to
have it taken up and rushed through before that fellow Thatcher knows
what he is about."

"If it could be done before he gets here," said Wiles, "it's a
reasonably sure thing. He is delayed two days: he might have been
delayed longer." Here Mr. Wiles sighed. If the accident had happened
on a mountain road, and the stage had been precipitated over the abyss,
what valuable time would have been s