Honoria and the senator,
Gantry, Gordon and his wife, and the two Weatherfords, with one of the
marriageable daughters, were at the _cafe_ door waiting for the
laggards. Being in no proper frame of mind to enjoy a theatre supper
with another Weatherford attack as the possible penalty, Blount
reluctantly surrendered Patricia to Gantry, made his excuses, and went
to smoke a bedtime pipe in the homelike and democratic lobby.
With Patricia in town the "silver-tongued spellbinder of Quaretaro
Mesa," as _The Daily Capital_ called the railroad company's campaign
field-officer, would have been glad to evade some of the speaking
appointments; but since his engagements had been made some days in
advance, he was obliged to go.
On his return to the capital he was delighted to find the party of three
still occupying the private dining-room suite at the Inter-Mountain.
Arriving on a morning train, he was permitted to make the party of three
a party of four at the breakfast-table; and with Patricia sitting
opposite he was able to forget the strenuosities for a restful
half-hour.
Later, when he went to his offices in the Temple Court Building, the
strenuosities reasserted themselves with emphasis. Though he found his
desk closed, and was reasonably certain that he had in his pocket the
only key that would unlock it, he found his papers scattered in
confusion under the roll-top.
Pages:
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221