“Blatant?” repeated its inventor. “It’s more than that. It’s howlingly vulgar. It’s a riot of glaring yellow. How else would you expect to catch the public?” “Suppose, then, I do burst into flame to this effect?” queried the prospective “Ad-Visor.” “_Et aprés?_ as we proudly say after spending a week in Paris.” “_Aprés?_ Oh, plenty of things. You hire an office, a clerk, two stenographers and a clipping export, and prepare to take care of the work that comes in. You’ll be flooded,” promised Waldemar. “And between times I’m to go skipping about, chasing long white whiskers and brass howitzers and B-flat trombones, I suppose.” “Until you get your work systematized you’ll have no time for skipping. Within six months, if you’re not sandbagged or jailed on fake libel suits, you’ll have a unique bibliography of swindles. Then I’ll begin to come and buy your knowledge to keep my own columns clean.” The speaker looked up to meet the gaze of an iron-gray man with a harsh, sallow face. “Excuse my interrupting,” said the new-comer. “Just one question, Waldemar. Who’s going to be the nominee?” “Linder.” “Linder? Surely not! Why, his name hasn’t been heard.” “It will be.” “His Federal job?” “He resigns in two weeks.” “His record will kill him.” “What record? You and I know he’s a grafter. But can we prove anything? His clerk has always handled all the money.” “Wasn’t there an old scandal—a woman case?” asked the questioner vaguely. “That Washington man’s wife? Too old. Linder would deny it flatly, and there would be no witnesses. The woman is dead—killed by his brutal treatment of her, they say. But the whole thing was hushed up at the time by Linder’s pull, and when the husband threatened to kill him Linder quietly set a commissioner of insanity on the case and had the man put away. He’s never appeared since. No, that wouldn’t be politically effective.” The gray man nodded, and walked away, musing. “Egbert, the traction boss,” explained Waldemar. “We’re generally on opposite sides, but this time we’re both against Linder. Egbert wants a cheaper man for mayor. I want a straighter one. And I could get him this year if Linder wasn’t so well fortified. However, to get back to our project, Mr. Jones—” Get back to it they did with such absorption that when the group broke up, several hours later, Average Jones was committed, by plan and rote, to the new and hopeful adventure of Life.