Dorothy was so far justified of her affection that to both John Harley
and Senator Hanway she stood for the model of all that was good and
beautiful in life. Hard and keen and never honest with the world at
large, the love of those two for the girl Dorothy was gold itself.
Neither said "No" to Dorothy; and neither made a dollar without thinking
how one day it would go to her. She was the joint darling; they would
divide her between them as the recipient of their loves while they lived
and their fortunes when they died. And many thought Dorothy lucky with
two such fathers to cherish her, two such men to conquer wealth
wherewith to feather-line her future.
John Harley made no secret of Senator Hanway's Presidential prospects,
and if he did not talk them over with his helpmeet, he listened while
she talked them over with him. Mrs. Hanway-Harley, who insisted more
vigorously than ever upon the hyphenation, would of necessity preside
over the White House. She saw and said this herself. The Harley family
would move to the White House. Anything short of that would be
preposterous.
Under such conditions and facing such a future, the tremendous
responsibilities of which already cast their shadow on her, Mrs.
Hanway-Harley was driven to take an interest in her brother's canvass;
and she took it. She gave her husband, John Harley, all sorts of advice,
and however much it might fail in quality, no one would have said that
in the matter of quantity Mrs. Hanway-Harley did not heap the measure
high. Senator Hanway himself she was not so ready to approach. He never
mentioned the question of his Presidential hopes and fears, holding to
the position of one who is sought. Under the circumstances, Mrs.
Hanway-Harley felt that it would be gross and forward to force the
subject with her brother, although she was certain that her silence
meant unmeasured loss to him. Mrs. Hanway-Harley was one of those
excellent women whereof it is the good fortune of the world to have such
store, who cherish the knowledge, not always shared by others, that
whatever they touch they benefit and wherever they advise they improve.
"Barbara," said Senator Hanway, on the morning of that day when Richard
meddled so crushingly with Storri's hand, "Barbara, there is a matter in
which you might please me very much."
Mrs. Hanway-Harley looked across the table at her brother, for the four
were at breakfast.
"I promise in advance," said she.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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