about Hotchkiss's anger. "He expressed his intention of employing
counsel--and defending a suit," returned the Colonel, affably basking in
her smile.

She dragged her chair nearer his desk. "Then you'll fight him tooth and
nail?" she asked eagerly; "you'll show him up? You'll tell the whole
story your own way? You'll give him fits?--and you'll make him pay?
Sure?" she went on breathlessly.

"I--er--will," said the Colonel, almost as breathlessly.

She caught his fat white hand, which was lying on the table, between
her own and lifted it to her lips. He felt her soft young fingers even
through the lisle-thread gloves that encased them, and the warm moisture
of her lips upon his skin. He felt himself flushing--but was unable
to break the silence or change his position. The next moment she had
scuttled back with her chair to her old position.

"I--er--certainly shall do my best," stammered the Colonel, in an
attempt to recover his dignity and composure.

"That's enough! You'll do it," said she enthusiastically. "Lordy! Just
you talk for ME as ye did for HIS old Ditch Company, and you'll fetch
it--every time! Why, when you made that jury sit up the other day--when
you got that off about the Merrikan flag waving equally over the rights
of honest citizens banded together in peaceful commercial pursuits, as
well as over the fortress of official proflig--"

"Oligarchy," murmured the Colonel courteously.