less baiting me?"

"I suspected something like it."

"Mr. Emmet is a _protégé_ of mine," she explained frankly, "who is
trying to break the power of the Republican ring that has ruled Warwick
since the war.

"I see," he nodded. "One of those struggles against municipal
corruption that are such a hopeful sign of the times. It seems strange
that in the management of our cities alone our form of government has
been a failure. But we have lighted upon a hobby of mine, and I must
n't begin to ride it."

"Then you will be interested in the situation," she returned.

It was presently evident that her own interest was not that of a
student of the science of government, though he was impressed by her
knowledge of local political conditions. The situation was indeed
typical: entrenched power on the one hand, and on the other a desire to
"turn the rascals out." The singularity lay in the fact that Miss
Wycliffe, in spite of the prejudice and influence of her father, was
siding against her own class. Leigh listened with growing interest and
wonder to her charges of snobbishness and corruption against the
Republican clique.

"You certainly love fair play," he remarked admiringly. "Such an
impersonal attitude is wont to be claimed by men as their own peculiar
possession."