"Some day, my boy," said Josh, with his grave good humor of the
great man tolerating the antics of a mountebank, "you'll
appreciate it wasn't the subject that was dull, but the ears. For
the day'll come when everybody'll be thinking and talking about me
most of the time."

Arkwright grinned. "It's lucky you don't let go before everybody
like that."

"Yes, but I do," rejoined Craig. "And why not? They can't stop my
going ahead. Besides, it's not a bad idea"--he nodded, with that
shrewdness which was the great, deep-lying vein in his nature--
"not at all a bad idea, to have people think you a frank, loose-
mouthed, damn fool--IF you ain't. Ambition's a war. And it's a
tremendous advantage to lead your enemies to underestimate you.
That's one reason why I ALWAYS win...So you're going TO TRY to get
me a wife?"

"I'm going to get you one--one of the sort you need. You need a
woman who'll tame you down and lick you into shape."

Craig smiled scornfully.

"One who'll know how to smooth the enemies you make with your
rough-and-tumble manners; one who'll win friends for you socially--"

Josh made a vehement gesture of dissent. "Not on your life!" cried
he. "Of course, my wife must be a lady, and interested in my
career. But none of your meddling politicians in petticoats for
me! I'll do my own political maneuvering. I want a woman, not a