secutor。
  When　the　League　had　tried　the　last　avenue　to　official　justice　and　had　found　the　way　barred；　House　meeting　Kelly　in　the　Palace　Hotel　cafe'；　said：
  ‘‘Well；　Richard；　I　guess　it's　all　over。''　Kelly　nodded。　　‘‘You've　got　away　with　the　goods。''
  ‘‘I'm　surprised　at　Dorn's　taking　it　so　quietly；''　said　House。　　‘‘I　rather　expected　he'd　make　trouble。''
  Kelly　vented　a　short；　grunting　laugh。　　‘‘Trouble　hell！''　ejaculated　he。　　‘‘If　he'd　'a'　kicked　up　a　fight　we'd　'a'　had　him。
  But　he　was　too　'cute　for　that；　damn　him。　　So　next　time　he　wins。''
  ‘‘Oh；　folks　ain't　got　no　memoriesespecially　for　politics；''　said　House　easily。
  ‘‘You'll　see；''　retorted　Kelly。　　‘‘The　next　mayor　of　this　town'll　be　a　Leaguer；　and　by　a　majority　that　can't　be　trifled　with。　　So　make　hay　while　the　sun　shines；　Joe。　　After　this　administration　there'll　be　a　long　stretch　of　bad　weather　for　haying。''
  ‘‘I'm　trying　to　get　hold　of　Hull；''　said　House；　and　it　was　not　difficult　to　read　his　train　of　thought。　　‘‘I　was　a　LEETLE　afraid　he　was　going　to　be　scared　by　that　document　of　Dorn'sand　was　going　to　do　something　crazy。''
  Again　Kelly　emitted　his　queer　grunting　laugh。　　‘‘I　guess　he　was　a　LEETLE　afraid　he　would；　too；　and　ran　away　and　hid　to　get　back　his　nerve。''
  ‘‘Oh；　he's　all　right。　　He's　a　pushing；　level…headed　fellow；　and　won't　make　no　trouble。　　Don't　you　think　so？''
  ‘‘Trouble？　　I　should　say　not。　　How　can　heif　he　takes　the　job？''
  To　which　obvious　logic　no　assent　was　necessary。
  Davy's　abrupt　departure　was　for　the　exact　reason　Mr。　Kelly　ascribed。　　And　he　had　taken　Hugo　with　him　because　he　feared　that　he　would　say　or　do　something　to　keep　the　scandal　from　dying　the　quick　death　of　all　scandals。　　There　was　the　less　difficulty　in　dissuading　him　from　staying　to　sun　himself　in　the　glories　of　his　new　rank　and　title　because　his　wife　had　cast　him　adrift　for　the　time　and　was　stopping　at　the　house　of　her　father；　whose　death　was　hourly　expected。
  Old　Hastings　had　been　in　a　stupor　for　several　weeks。　　He　astonished　everybody；　except　Dr。　Charlton；　by　rousing　on　election　night　and　asking　how　the　battle　had　gone。
  ‘‘And　he　seemed　to　understand　what　I　told　him；''　said　Jane。
  ‘‘Certainly　he　understood；''　replied　Charlton。　　‘‘The　only　part　of　him　that's　in　any　sort　of　condition　is　his　mind；　because　it's　the　only　part　of　him　that's　been　properly　exercised。　　Most　people　die　at　the　top　first　because　they've　never　in　all　their　lives　used　their　minds　when　they　could　possibly　avoid　it。''
  In　the　week　following　the　election　he　came　out　of　his　stupor　again。　　He　said　to　the　nurse：
  ‘‘It's　about　supper　time；　ain't　it？''
  ‘‘Yes；''　answered　she。　　‘‘They're　all　down　at　din　supper。　　Shall　I　call　them？''
  ‘‘No；''　said　he。　　‘‘I　want　to　go　down　to　her　room。''
  ‘‘To　Miss　Jane's　room？''　asked　the　puzzled　nurse。
  ‘‘To　my　wife's　room；''　said　Hastings　crossly。
  The　nurse；　a　stranger；　thought　his　mind　was　wandering。　　‘‘Certainly；''　said　she　soothingly。　　‘‘In　a　few　minutesas　soon　as　you've　rested　a　while。''
  ‘‘You're　a　fool！''　mumbled　Hastings。　　‘‘Call　Jinny。''
  The　nurse　obeyed。　　When　he　repeated　his　request　to　Jane；　she　hesitated。　　The　tears　rolled　down　his　cheeks。　　‘‘I　know　what　I'm　about；''　he　pleaded。　　‘‘Send　for　Charlton。　　He'll　tell　you　to　let　me　have　my　way。''
  Jane　decided　that　it　was　best　to　yield。　　The　shrunken　figure；　weighing　so　little　that　it　was　terrifying　to　lift　it；　was　wrapped　warmly；　and　put　in　an　invalid　chair。　　With　much　difficulty　the　chair　was　got　out　into　the　hall　and　down　the　stairs。　　Then　they　wheeled　it　into　the　room　where　he　was　in　the　habit　of　sitting　after　supper。　　When　he　was　opposite　the　atrocious　crayon　enlargement　of　his　wife　an　expression　of　supreme　content　settled　upon　his　features。　　Said　he：
  ‘‘Go　back　to　your　supper；　Jinny。　　Take　the　nurse　woman　with　you。　　I　want　to　be　by　myself。''
  The　nurse　glanced　stealthily　in　from　time　to　time　during　the　next　hour。　　She　saw　that　his　eyes　were　open；　were　fixed　upon　the　picture。　　When　Jane　came　she　ventured　to　enter。　　She　said：
  ‘‘Do　you　mind　my　sitting　with　you；　father？''
  He　did　not　answer。　　She　went　to　him；　touched　him。　　He　was　dead。
  As　a　rule　death　is　not　without　mitigations；　consolations　even。　　Where　it　is　preceded　by　a　long　and　troublesome　illness；　disrupting　the　routine　of　the　family　and　keeping　everybody　from　doing　the　things　he　or　she　wishes；　it　comes　as　a　relief。　　In　this　particular　case　not　only　was　the　death　a　relief；　but　also　the　estate　of　the　dead　man　provided　all　the　chief　mourners　with　instant　and　absorbing　occupation。　　If　he　had　left　a　will；　the　acrimony　of　the　heirs　would　have　been　caused　by　　dissatisfaction　with　his　way　of　distributing　the　property。　　Leaving　no　will；　he　plunged　the　three　heirsor；　rather；　the　five　heirs；　for　the　husband　of　Martha　and　the　wife　of　the　son　were　most　important　factorshe　plunged　the　five　heirs　into　a　ferment　of　furious　dispute　as　to　who　was　to　have　what。　　Martha　and　her　husband　and　the　daughter…in…law　were　people　of　exceedingly　small　mind。　　Trifles；　therefore；　agitated　them　to　the　exclusion　of　larger　matters。　　The　three　fell　to　quarreling　violently　over　the　division　of　silverware；　jewelry　and　furniture。　　Jane　was　so　enraged　by　the　‘‘disgusting　spectacle''　that　she　proceeded　to　take　part　in　it　and　to　demand　everything　which　she　thought　it　would　irritate　Martha　Galland　or　Irene　Hastings　to　have　to　give　up。
  The　three　women　and　Hugofor　Hugo　loved　petty　wranglingspent　day　after　day　in　the　bitterest　quarrels。　　Each　morning　Jane；　ashamed　overnight；　would　issue　from　her　room　resolved　to　have　no　part　in　the　vulgar　rowdyism。　　Before　an　hour　had　passed　she　would　be　the　angriest　of　the　disputants。　　Except　her　own　unquestioned　belongings　there　wasn't　a　thing　in　the　house　or　stables　about　which　she　cared　in　the　least。　　But　there　was　a　principle　at　stakeand　for　principle　she　would　fight　in　the　last　ditch。
  None　of　them　wished　to　call　in　arbitrators　or　executors；　why　go　to　that　expense？　　So；　the　bickering　and　wrangling；　the　insults　and　tears　and　sneers　went　on　from　day　to　day。　　At　last　they　settled　the　whole　matter　by　lotand　by　a　series　of　easily　arranged　exchanges　where　the　results　of　the　drawings　were　unsatisfactory。　　Peace　was　restored；　but　not　liking。　　Each　of　the　three　groupsHugo　and　Martha；　Will　and　Irene；　Jane　in　a　group　by　herselfdetested　the　other　two。　　They　felt　that　they　had　found　each　other　out。　　As　Martha　said　to　Hugo；　‘‘It　takes　a　thing　of　this　kind　to　show　people　up　in　their　true　colors。''　　Or；　as　Jane　said　to　Doctor　Charlton；　‘‘What　beasts　human　beings　are！''
  Said　he：　　‘‘What　beasts　circumstance　makes　of　some　o　them　sometimes。''
  ‘‘You　are　charitable；''　said　Jane。
  ‘‘I　am　scientific；''　replied　he。　　‘‘It's　very　intelligent　to　go　about　distributing　praise　and　blame。　　To　do　that　is　to　obey　a　slightly　higher　development　of　the　instinct　that　leads　one　to　scowl　at　and　curse　the　stone　he　stumps　his　toe　on。　　The　sensible　thing　to　do　is　to　look　at　the　causes　of　thingsof　brutishness　in　human　beings；　for　exampleand　to　remove　those　causes。''
  ‘‘It　was　wonderful；　the　way　you　dragged　father　back　to　life　and　almost　saved　him。　　That　reminds　me。　　Wait　a　second；　please。''
  She　went　up　to　her　room　and　got　the　envelope　addressed　to　Charlton　which　she　had　found　in　the　drawer；　as　her　father　directed。　　Charlton　opened　it；　took　out　five　bank　notes　each　of　a　thousand　dollars。　　She　glanced　at　the　money；　then　at　his　face。　　It　did　not　express　the　emotion　she　was　expecting。　　On　the　contrary；　its　look　was　of　pleased　curiosity。
  ‘‘Five　thousand　dollars；''　he　said；　reflectively。　　‘‘Your　father　certainly　was　a　queer　mixture　of　surprises　and　contradictions。　　Now；　who　would　have　suspected　him　of　a　piece　of　sentiment　like　this？　　Pure　sentiment。　　He　must　have　felt　that　I'd　not　be　able　to　save　him；　and　he　knew　my　bill　wouldn't　be　one…tenth　this　sum。''
  ‘‘He　liked　you；　and　admired　you；''　said　Jane。
  ‘‘He　was　very　generous　where　he　liked　and　admired。''
  Charlton　put　the　money　back　in　the　envelope；　put　the　envelope　in　his　pocket。　　‘‘I'll　give　the　money　to　the　Children's　Hospital；''　said　he。　　‘‘About　six　months　ago　I　completed　the　sum　I　had　fixed　on　as　necessary　to　my　independence；　so；　I've　no　further　use　for　moneyexcept　to　use　it　up　as　it　comes　in。''
  ‘‘You　may　marry　some　day；''　suggested　Jane。
  ‘‘Not　a　woman　who　wishes　to　be　left　richer　than　independent；''　replied　he。　　‘‘As　for　the　children；　they'll　be　brought　up　to　earn　their　own　independence。　　I'll　leave　only　incubators　and　keepsakes　when　I　die。　　But　no　estate。　　I'm　not　that　foolish　and　inconsiderate。''
  ‘‘What　a　queer　idea！''　exclaimed　Jane。
  ‘‘On　the　contrary；　it's　simplest　common　sense。　　The　idea　of　giving　people　something　they　haven't　earned　that's　the　queer　idea。''
  ‘‘You　are　SO　like　Victor　Dorn！''
  ‘‘That　reminds　me！''　exclaimed　Charlton。　　‘‘It　was　very　negligent　of　me　to　forget。　　The　day　your　father　died　I　dropped　in　on　Victor　and　told　himhim　and　Selma　Gordonabout　it。　　And　both　asked　me　to　take　you　their　sympathy。　　They　said　a　great　deal　about　your　love　for　your　father；　and　how　sad　it　was　to　lose　him。　　They　were　really　distressed。''
  Jane's　face　almost　brightened。　　‘‘I've　been　rather　hurt　because　I　hadn't　received　a　word　of　sympathy　from　them；''　she　said。
  ‘‘They'd　have　come；　thems