The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-24

msfely Explained that ~ oouf-c TIN dls.
ofe,ion and honof ~ any npmter N eitl
hotian WRa teyohd question and that tho cfe
dehtlals ~ any ohe ASSUMING H. represent 4
mrmber would 10 oloaniy examlned,
This Htle excursion into ihs realms Oi
advantage shaved NJ ltaplf tha, thu storm
wac about over and, ~ thu pail oyor ths
akyliahta changed into blue and gold
Dolores became more practical
you sRy you ere secretary ~ Senator
Savage from HeQnoia, = clio Rald. my,
how | should like 10 know that mani
Neither senator from SeUuoia ran he
Of any good 10 you I replied. seriously.
'Ah, but both might lie " uAe; and tina,
IL better
'fn a contest Of wits which would he the
more likely TO win, you or they1"
in such n contest q man may loSe his
wits"
There are worse losses--'
She picked up her scarlet parasol; shc
spranR to her feet and looked down on mo
with a smile friendly and frank.
'Good-by," she said. Il think you are a
good fellow but I must 60 my own way
That evening, when my Senator showed
a disposition to talk over his cigar, ! men :
toned by way OF diversion what Miss Fer
nandez had said regarding copy for the
Congregational Record, without, however,
referring to her name. Mr.. Savage wouldn't
have 1t; there never was 30 keen a
scent for a mystery, 30 persistent a pur-
suit OF 1t. In a little while he had the story
from me less my attempt at a warning.
The senator smoked in silence, a queer
little smile playing In his eyes and lodging
around his lips.
'Where does this little friend Of yours
live. Buffum?' at length he asked, turning
toward his room.
AT the Rocco, sir
"Ah, by faith or works2" he s~oliioquized,
as the door closed after him.
Events began to move rapidly and in
concert, as they always do when a catas-
trophe impends. The Committee on War
Claims reported favorably the Fernandez
cotton claim to the Senate in a report so
verbose, turgid and labored that I would
recognize 1t as the handiwork Of a former
Billings were 1t dug out Of the Pyramids.
The Legislature out in Sequoia had con-
vened, and the vital business before 1t was
the election Of a United States Senator in
place Of Mr.. Billings. That esteemed
gentleman was, Of course; a candidate. and
30 was Congressman Merrifeld, and both
paid assiduous court to my Senator, as il at
the throne OF ultimate grace.
have already stated that Mr.. Savage
through personal predictions and politi-
cal exigencies favored the young and popu-
lar Congressman at Large, but in no wise
did he discourage Billings. So far as I
could make out he was waiting, as the angler
waits on the fish before the hook Is securely
swallowed.
So Billings kept coming and going, and
never without renewed hope. 1 met him
one afternoon In our hotel corridor, blum
dering along in his absent minded way-he
always left behind him a trail Of personal
a-ppurtenanoes like a runa way stage coach
and it was apparent from his satisfied smile
that be had received ar unusual supply Of
honeyed assurances. He had never heard OF
the Greeks and their gifts, I reflected.
Senator Savage sat In the further alcove,
80 absorbed over Grotius's DE Jure BelI Ell
Pacis" that he needed not my entrance. In
a moment, however, l felt constrained to
disturb him.
Beg pardon I said, "but where did this
come from?" holding up a bulky pocket
case I had found lying on my desk.
The Senator looked up with lack lustre
eyes.
Bless my soul, Buffum.' he exclaimed;
SIS that you? l was oblivious. What La
that, you ask2 Why, l never saw 1t be-
fore. Oh, possibly, it belongs to Billings:
he was in just now, exhibiting another
section Of the endless chain Of his support.
Yes, that must be it. He forgets every
thing, except that smallest of all items,
himself. Run down to the Capitol, won't
you, and return it to him?'
Once more he became studiously intent.
/ gathered together the materials for
other errands on the way. l was about to
leave when again my Senator spoke.
1T occurs to me-" he said, somewhat
~unctuously, that on the one hand Billings
can never recall of himself where he left
the case. On the other hand, IL it is re-
turned to him as having been left here
he will Immediately suspect, such is the
petty nature of the man, that its contents
may have been tempered with. Under
all the circumstances, and with a regard
for your own excellent reputation, Buffum,
why wouldn't it be more prudent for you
to drop into Billings's committee room on
some routine business, and while there, as
the chance occurs, put the case in a place
where he will naturally conclude he must
have left it? We must avoid the appear
ance of evil my good man."
l reflected somewhat bitterly on this
truism as I rode down to the Capitol on
the navy yard car. What appearance, and
what evil? Had not the one a myriad
alluring, attractive, repellent, re-
pugnant, de pendent upon whether the
other was puzzling, romantic, triumphant,
sordid, defeated?
just then we passed a smart little VIC
toria, within which, under a crimson para
sat a brilliant young woman. AS she
me she waved and bowed and
smiled, the picture of exuberant we'll being.
Il was Dolores Fernandez.
Beyond her stretched, s~outherly from
the ven the section occupied by Han
cooks gallant troops at the close Of the
civil war, now the pale, the ghetto. the city
Of refuge for feminine m~ercenaries, at once
the victims and avengers Of mans passions,
within whose recognized limits no decent
woman would set her loot. There it was,
The good and the bad Of It. Why prate
about the appearance Of evil in Washington