Tom?"

He set the pad on his knee, and began to write languidly:

"ROUEN, _September 2d_.

"_Dear Mr. Fisbee_: Yours of the 1st to hand. I entirely approve all
arrangements you have made. I think you understand that I wish you to
regard _everything_ as in your own hands. You are the editor of the
'Herald' and have the sole responsibility for everything, including
policy, until, after proper warning, I relieve you in person. But until
that time comes, you must look upon me as a mere spectator. I do not fear
that you will make any mistakes; you have done very much better in all
matters than I could have done myself. At present I have only one
suggestion: I observe that your editorials concerning Halloway's
renomination are something lukewarm.

"It is very important that he be renominated, not altogether on account of
assuring his return to Washington (for he is no Madison, I fear), but the
fellow McCune must be so beaten that his defeat will be remembered for
twenty years. Halloway is honest and clean, at least, while McCune is
corrupt to the bone. He has been bought and sold, and I am glad the proofs
of it are in your hands, as you tell me Parker found them, as directed, in
my trunk, and gave them to you.

"The papers you hold drove him out of politics once, by the mere threat of
publication; you should have printed them last week, as I suggested. Do so
at once; the time is short. You have been too gentle; it has the air of
fearing to offend, and of catering, as if we were afraid of antagonizing
people against us; as though we had a personal stake in the convention.