Capitol Hill, and he has let it make him nervous. But we'll put festivity
ahead of everything else on Corson Hill, to-night, and the girls will be
on hand to make the boys all sociable. Come early, Stewart!"

The mayor flung up his hand--a boyish gesture of faith in the best. "Hail
to you as a peacemaker! We have been needing you! We're glad you're home
again, sir."

For a few moments he turned his back on the business of the city, as it
awaited him in the persons of the citizens. He went to the front window
and gazed at the Corson limousine until it rolled away; Lana had Coventry
Daunt with her in the cozy intimacy afforded by the twin seats forward in
the tonneau.

"They make a smart-looking couple, bub," commented Calvin Dow, feeling
perfectly free to stand at Stewart's elbow to inspect any object that the
younger man found of interest. "Is it to be a hitch, as the gossip runs?"

"There seems to be some gossip that's running ahead of my ken in this city
just now, Calvin!" The mayor frowned, his eyes fixed on the departing car.
His demeanor hinted that his thoughts were wholly absorbed by the persons
in that car. "I hope you're spry enough to catch it. Go find out for me,
will you, what the blue mischief they're up to?"

"In politics? Or--"

"In politics! Yes!" returned Morrison, tartly. "What other kind of gossip
would I be interested in, this day?"

He snapped himself around on his heels and started toward the men who were