“All the same, I wish from the bottom of my heart that I had had Crane’s chance yesterday and had used it as well,” replied Thorndyke. “If you had you would have given our junior Senator a bad quarter of an hour,” replied Senator Standiford, gravely. Now, in common with all true Senatorial bosses, Standiford had seen to it that his junior Senator was a man of straw, put in the place in order that the boss might have two votes in the Senate. Never had the junior Senator yet voted or acted in opposition to his master; but had Thorndyke been the junior it would have been another story, and both men knew it. This caused Thorndyke to remark, coolly: “He would have no reason to disturb himself--the ass! You have been kind enough to give me to understand that I am ineligible for promotion, not being made of putty, as our junior Senator is.” “Now, now!” remonstrated Senator Standiford, again assuming his air of a seventeenth-century Puritan. “To hear you anybody would think that our State organisation didn’t want every first-class man it can get! We have the highest regard for your services, and we do what we can to keep you in your present place because we see your usefulness there.” Senator Standiford punctiliously used the euphemism “we” just as he gravely consulted all the pothouse politicians and heelers in “the organisation,” but it did not materially affect the fact that he was the whole proposition in his own State. Thorndyke looked full into the deep, calm eyes of the rugged old man before him, and could not forbear laughing; but there was not the glimmer of a twinkle in them. Presently the old man said, coolly: “Suppose I should tell you that I may retire at the end of my term, two years from now?” “I should wish to believe anything you say, my dear Senator, but I am afraid I couldn’t believe that.” “What a fellow you are! But let me tell you--mind, this is a confidence between gentlemen--my retirement is not impossible. You know my daughter, my little Letty----” As Senator Standiford spoke the name his face softened, and a passion of parental love shone in his deep-set eyes.