felt that there must be good in any one whom Madame de Vaurigard liked.
She had spoken of Pedlow often on their drives; he was an "eccentric,"
she said, an "original." Why not accept her verdict? Besides, Pedlow
was a man of distinction and force; he had been in Congress; he was a
millionaire; and, as became evident in the course of a long recital of
the principal events of his career, most of the great men of the time
were his friends and proteges.

"'Well, Mack,' says I one day when we were in the House together"--(thus
Mr. Pedlow, alluding to the late President McKinley)--"'Mack,' says I,
'if you'd drop that double standard business'--he was waverin' toward
silver along then--'I don't know but I might git the boys to nominate
you fer President.' 'I'll think it over,' he says--'I'll think it over.'
You remember me tellin' you about that at the time, don't you, Sneyd,
when you was in the British Legation at Washin'ton?"

"Pahfictly," said Mr. Sneyd, lighting a cigar with great calmness.

"'Yes,' I says, 'Mack,' I says, 'if you'll drop it, I'll turn in and git
you the nomination.'"

"Did he drop it?" asked Mellin innocently.

Mr. Pedlow leaned forward and struck the young man's knee a resounding
blow with the palm of his hand.

"He was _nominated_, wasn't he?"

"Time to dress," announced Mr. Sneyd, looking at his watch.