chariot wheel in the fable. The least of them beholds a picture of the
government in every looking-glass into which he peers.

Storri talked with Mr. Harley; Mr. Harley talked with Senator Hanway.
These conferences were of Credit Magellan; in particular they had
concern with the overthrow of Northern Consolidated. Congress had been
in session ten days when Senator Hanway, one morning, asked Richard to
call that evening at nine.

"There is something which your paper should print," said Senator Hanway.

Richard was with Senator Hanway in the latter's study sharp upon the
hour set. Dorothy was not there; her mother had carried her and the
yellow-haired sorceress, Bess, to the theater. It is to be doubted, even
if she were free, whether Dorothy's interest in her political studies
would have carried her through a night session. Besides, the preoccupied
Senator Hanway had begun to observe that Richard looked at Dorothy more
than he listened to him, and while he suffered no disturbance by virtue
of this discovery, the present was an occasion when he wanted Richard's
undivided attention. Once seated, Senator Hanway went to the heart of
the affair; he made himself clear, for years of debate had educated him
to lucidity. What he desired was a plain, sequential rehearsal in the
_Daily Tory_ of those claims and charges against Northern Consolidated.

"Nor will I," observed Senator Hanway, flatteringly confidential,
"conceal my reasons. In the first place the charges have been made, and
their effect is to injure Northern Consolidated. You will not state that
you know these charges to be true; you will say--if you will be so
good--that they are of common report. Once in print, I can make them the
basis of an investigation. I've no doubt--though you will please say