"Oh, I am deeply interested," said Lady Mary. The two women were alone
now, and the hostess, released after three hours of stereotyped
amenities, surrendered herself to the charm of natural intercourse
with one of her own sort, and rang for tea. "I always liked politics,
and I feel quite sure that my husband will achieve his high ambitions.
It interests me greatly to help him."

"Of course he'll be President!" cried Betty, enthusiastic in the
warmth of her new friendship and its possibilities. She was surprised
by a tilt of the nose and an emphatic shake of the head.

"No, indeed!" exclaimed Lady Mary, "Presidents are politicians only.
My husband aspires higher than that. To be a Senator of the first rank
requires very different qualities."

"Ah! I shall quote that to Mol--my mother. She is not predisposed in
their favour."

"Of course there are Senators and Senators," said Lady Mary, hastily.
"You can't get ninety men of equal ability together, anywhere. There
are the six who are admittedly the first,--North, Maxwell, Ward,
March, Howard, and Eustis,--and about ten who are close behind them.
Then there is the venerable group to which Senator Maxwell also
belongs; and the younger men of forty-five or so who are not quite
broken in yet, and whose enthusiasm is apt to take the wrong
direction; and the fire-eaters, Populists usually; and the hard-
working second-rate men, many of them millionaires (Western, as a
rule) who are accused of having bought their legislatures to get in,
but who do good work on Committee, whether or not they came under the