The Golden House

contrivances, the formal dinner is probably the cause of more anxiety in the arrangement, of more weariness in the performance, and usually of less satisfaction in the retros

l selected; and yet the moment it assembled it was evident that it could not be very brilliant or very enjoyab

not a company that he could take in hand and impress with his mysterious influence in public affairs. Henderson was not in the mood, and would have had much more ease over a chop and a bottle of half-and-half with Uncle Jerry. Carmen, socially triumphant, would have been much more in her element at a petit souper of a not too fastidious four. Mrs. Schuyler Blunt was in the un

other hitherto exclusive doors. That lady may not have changed her opinion about Carmen, but she was good-natured and infected by the incoming social tolerance; and as to Henderson, she declared that he was an exceedingly well-bred man, and she did not believe half the stories about him. Henderson himself at once appreciated the talents of Mavick, gauged him perfectly, and saw what services he might be capable of rendering at Washington. Mr. Mavick appreciated the advantage of a connection with such a capitalist, and of having open to him another luxurious house in New York. At the dinner-table Carmen and Mr. Mavick had not exchanged a dozen remarks before these clever people felt that they were congenial spirits. It was in the smoking-room that Henderson and Mavick fel

r marriage all these things had been indifferent to this high-spirited girl. They were merely incidents of the social state into which she was born, and she pursued her way among them, having a tolerably clear conception of what her own life should be, with little recognition of their tendencies. Were only her own life concern

r own idea of a useful and happy life, would have been easy but for one thing-she loved Jack. This philosophic reasoning about it does her injustice. It did not occur to her that she could go her way and let him go his way. Nor must it be supposed that the problem seemed as grave to her as it really was-the danger of frittering away h

evil for Jack, and that to be absorbed in the sort of life that s

she talked with Father Damon, while the gentlemen wer

plied; "but your East Side, Mrs

w s

if I say there is to

our mission over to this side. Here is a field of good, u

f sin and wretchedness. What can you expect when the

were something of a

many things, and I go with them. But my motive is not theirs. I hope not. There is no hope except in a spiritual life. Materialism down at the bottom of society is no better than materialism at the top. Do you

as Dr. Leigh do a great dea

I don't understand it. She is not hopeful. She se

humanity,

ented. Religion of humanity! The work

rnestness "but, Father Damon, isn't h

aid, more gently, "I don't know. Of the soul, yes. But hum

ty which he in vain tried to eliminate from his austere life, and she turned the talk lightly by saying,

the advantages of delay. He also understood the value of the mystery that attends inaccessibility. Even Mr. Mavick himself was impressed by the show of ceremony, by the army of clerks, and by the signs of complete organization. He knew that the visitor was specially favored who penetrated these precincts so far as to get an interview, usually fruitless, with Henderson's confidential man. This confidential man was a very grave and confidence-begetting person, who dealt out dubious

in Congress, and friends in the Cabinet, and it was even hinted that he was concerned to have men whose economic and financial theories accorded with his own on the Supreme Bench. He had unlimited confidence in the power of money. His visitor of the morning was n

own interests in view, there was natural

ce, Mr. Mavick," said Henderson, cordial

e employ of the gover

s pretty well," said

get your board and clothes out of government. Your washing is another th

t's a su

theory at Washington is that virtue is its

r how he

emark that when a man once gives himself up to the full enjoyment of a virtu

o interfere with other people's business. Fellows like Tom are alway

ejoined Mavick. "I suppose

. As soon as a man gets ahead," Henderson continued, with a tone of bitterness, "the whole pack are trying to pull him down. A capitalist

was good enough to consult me on its con

it's a bother. Such schemes are coming up all the time,

ging," ad

eed to know what is going on every twenty-four hours fro

siest manner, "that's easy enough.

out certain men in Washington, until, after twenty minutes' conversation, the two men came to a perfect un

and remember that our house will