As another mirthful spasm seemed imminent Dan retired, wondering just
what in himself or in his errand had so moved the fat editor's
risibilities. He learned at the Bassett Bank that Mr. Bassett was
spending the day in a neighboring town, but would be home at six
o'clock, so he surveyed Fraserville and killed time until evening,
eating luncheon and supper with sundry commercial travelers at the Grand
Hotel.

Harwood's instructions were in every case to take the subjects of his
sketches at their own valuation and to set them forth sympathetically.
The ambitions of most of the gentlemen he had interviewed had been
obvious--obvious and futile. Nearly every man who reached the
legislature felt a higher call to Congress or the governor's chair.
Harwood had already described in the "Courier" the attainments of
several statesmen who were willing to sacrifice their private interests
for the high seat at the state capitol. The pettiness and sordidness of
most of the politicians he met struck him humorously, but the tone of
his articles was uniformly laudatory.

When the iron gate clicked behind him at the Bassett residence, his
notebook was still barren of such anecdotes of his subject as he had
usually gathered in like cases in an afternoon spent at the court-house.
Stories of generosity, of the kindly care of widows and orphans, gifts
to indigent pastors, boys helped through college, and similar
benefactions had proved altogether elusive. Either Harwood had sought
in the wrong places or Morton Bassett was of tougher fibre than the
other gentlemen on whom his pencil had conferred immortality. In
response to his ring a boy opened the door and admitted him without
parley. He had a card ready to offer, but the lad ran to announce him
without waiting for his name and reappeared promptly.