They all laughed, and Mrs. Burrell exclaimed: “Well, stuck up is about the last thing I’d ever think of you, Mr. Briggs. Now if you’d ’a’ said that about some of those other politicians we used to see down to Washington, Alpheus!” Mrs. Burrell looked from her husband to her hostess, and then at Douglas Briggs. “Well, if you two men have finished your business, I s’pose we’ve got to go.” She turned appealingly to Helen, as if hoping to be urged to stay. “This time you’ll have to come to dinner,” said Helen. “Oh, that’s all arranged,” said Briggs easily. “They’re coming to-night.” As Mrs. Burrell was about to protest, he held up his hands. “Now, don’t say a word. Everything’s settled!” Mrs. Burrell looked at Helen with a comic expression of despair. “Well, I think it’s a shame!” she said, her face shining with pleasure. “Now I’ll go and get those girls of yours,” said Briggs, walking into the hall. “I left them romping with the children. I thought the children would tear them to pieces.” When the Burrells had left, Helen walked into the library with her husband. Her face looked puzzled. “Did Mr. Burrell talk with you about the girls?” she asked. Briggs sank heavily into a chair. “Yes, he told me all about it. He seemed a good deal ashamed. Poor old man! And yet I could see that he was making them an excuse for offering me more money.” “He’s been offering you money, then?” Helen asked, her face growing slightly paler. “Oh, yes. He wants to pay me absurdly for taking that law-case and looking after his affairs here. There’s really a good deal to be done; but he won’t be satisfied unless I agree to fleece him,” Briggs concluded with a laugh. For several moments they sat in silence. Then Briggs broke out: “He’s been fooled so often, he says I’m the only man in the world he can trust. I felt like a hypocrite, Helen. Honestly, I thought of asking him to go to you and to get you to tell him all about me. I didn’t have the nerve to tell him the truth myself. It would have been easier,” he added whimsically, “to put that on you.” “I shouldn’t have found it very hard, Douglas,” she said with a smile. “You wouldn’t?” She shook her head. “And I’m afraid you’re growing morbid about the past, dear. It’s over, and why think about it?” “I have to think about it now and then,” he said grimly. He pressed his hand against his forehead. “Of course, I know what you mean. I ought to think about the future--and I do--I think of it--well, most of the time.” He rose nervously and began to walk up and down the room. “Somehow those people make me realize what we’re up against.” “It would help us out if we were to have the girls with us in Washington,” said Helen conservatively. An expression of annoyance and disgust appeared in his face. “But why should we have our home invaded like that? Why should you have to--?” He turned away angrily. “I shouldn’t mind, dear. It really would make things easier for me.” “Easier?”