Watching her as she turned away, Haines saw her extend a warm greeting
to Congressman Charles Norton, who had advanced toward the group.

[Illustration: "STRANGE HOW THE LANGDONS TREAT HIM AS A FRIEND."]

"Strange how the Langdons treat him as a friend--intimate one, too,"
he thought. "What if they should learn of Norton's questionable
operations at the Capitol; of his connection with two unsavory
'deals,' one of which resulted in an amendment to the pure food law so
that manufacturers of a valueless 'consumption cure' could continue to
mislead the victims of the 'white plague'; Norton, who had uttered an
epigram now celebrated in the tap-rooms of Washington, 'The paths of
glory lead but to the graft.'"

"Miss Langdon is very beautiful and attractive, sir," said Haines,
resuming with the Senator.

"Yes," drawled the Mississippian. "Girls in the South generally are."

"Well, I must be going. I'll think about your secretaryship, Senator
Langdon. Perhaps I can find some one."

"Wish you'd think about it for yourself," observed the Senator, while
Hope Georgia again nodded approval. "It would be a hard job. There
are so many matters of political detail about which I am sadly
inexperienced that really most of the work would fall on the
secretary."

Bud Haines paused. Again he thought over Langdon's offer. Its