"Here," he said, stopping a small boy of the street urchin variety who was sauntering by, "don't you want a souvenir from the Saratoga convention?" He fished out the white tin button from his pocket as he spoke with "For Governor, Oliver Ordway," on it which he had been too disgusted with the result of his call to offer to Harriet.

"Sure," said the small boy who made it a rule to take anything that was offered him and who always wanted everything, halting expectantly.

He showed more enthusiasm, however, and less matterof-fact acquiescence when he actually saw what it was the "swell" wanted to give him, and as Verney explained its significance his eyes snapped with delight. Here was a trophy indeed to display before the other "kids," a campaign button from the scene of battle with the name of the victorious Republican candidate for Governor on it!

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"Dontcher want it yourself?" he asked, gazing amazedly up into the young man's face as Verney pinned it carefully on the ragged lapel of his little jacket. "No," said the Politician, "not any more. I was going to give it to my girl, but she's gone back on me!" He had hardly released the boy whose impatience to go and "show the other kids" had made the process of pinning on a lengthy one, when Vandewater caught up with him.

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Going my way?" asked Verney, casual but polite. "No, I'm not," said the other, "I just wanted a match, if you have one."

"Certainly," said Verney, offering a box of safeties. "Thanks," said Vandewater lighting his cigarette carefully and returning the box. Then, just as he turned away," Oh, by the by, Ellis, perhaps you'll be interested in something I've just decided to do?"

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'Perhaps," returned Verney lightly, pausing to hear what the other had to say.

"I'm going to run for Attorney-general on the Democratic ticket," said Vandewater.

CHAPTER XV

THE ONE THING A WOMAN MUST NOT SAY

A

LMOST a month had passed since the open-air horse-show, but the beautiful Mrs. Gibbs had

not as yet forgotten that on the occasion of the club dance in the evening Verney Ellis had not danced with her and had danced with Miss Rand. The very recollection of their utter absorption in each other as they danced, and their indifference to her presence as she watched them from the door, made her wince and writhe and set her hazel eyes to sparkling. For the plain truth and the ugly truth was that the beautiful Mrs. Gibbs was jealous of the young heiress from the West. She would not have admitted it herself, however, but would have characterized her feeling as a perfectly just resentment of Harriet's apparent appropriation of her property, and during the weeks that followed the dance where such a marked instance of that appropriation had taken place, she thought of nothing but how she might weaken the girl's influence- turn Vérney's mind from all thought of her. Interference was really necessary; if something was n't done in a hurry, she almost feared he might marry Miss Rand! And then what would become of his career? and incidentally-though this reason Mrs. Gibbs was careful to keep in the background

of her mind,-what was to become of her little flirtation with the young man?

The bare idea of such a traitorous act on Verney's part as getting married set his self-appointed guardian and supposed friend to plotting to see what spoke could be applied to this threatening wheel. It should be ap plied with a skilful hand, of course, and if possible was to be the smallest, most microscopic of spokes — a mere hint or suggestion - but applied it must be. Of that she was convinced. Did any one have the right to deprive her of the thing that most amused and interested her in life, her friendship with Verney Ellis? thought not.

She

The first thing to be done toward accomplishing her purpose was to get hold of the young man himself, but for some reason this seemed very difficult to do. Except for a brief word at a dinner-party one evening she had not had speech with him since the day of the horse-show. She had written him her prettiest notes proposing luncheon down town and quiet dinners with "Willie away," and had telephoned him till she was ashamed to do it again, but Verney had declined all invitations to go and chatter with his charming friend. He was "busy" he said, in answer to them all, invariably that and nothing more.

And this was only the truth. He was busy. Vandewater with all the money he wanted to back him, and some friends with political influence, had had no difficulty in getting himself nominated for Attorney-general at the Democratic Convention, held not many days after

the one at Saratoga. The campaign for Governor, with the other offices included in the Republican and Democratic tickets, had been begun with a rush, for it was late in starting that year like the national campaign and had to be a short one; and with his friend Ordway's interests to work for as well as his own, Verney felt he had his hands too full for idling.

In a

Chance favored Mrs. Gibbs, however, when everything else had failed, and returning from down-town one morning in her brougham, she saw the graceful, erect form of the Politician walking down the avenue. second she had signalled her coachman to draw in to the curb and Verney, halted by a violently waved handkerchief, perceived that he was run to earth. With his sweetest smile, therefore, in token of surrender he stepped into the carriage beside her.

"Let's go somewhere for luncheon!" said the fair pirate of the high avenue.

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Anywhere, everywhere, I will follow on!" replied Verney in hymnal paraphrase. Having been fairly caught, he was resolved to be an amiable prisoner, and then he never attempted to deny that he was fond of Cora Keator Gibbs and of talking to her, or rather of listening to her talk.

66 Sherry's," said Mrs. Gibbs to the coachman.

Verney glanced covertly at his watch. He had a pressing engagement at the Republican headquarters at two o'clock, for having devoted himself conscientiously to his law business all that morning he felt at liberty to do a little work on the campaign. It was then twelve