Part 9 (2/2)

”I think it's a splendid idea, dad; just great! Won't you come, Mr.

Haines? We--eh--I--I know my father would like to have you.”

As he stood before his two new-found friends--for such Haines now considered the Mississippian and his daughter--he could not suppress feelings of surprise tinged with uncertainty. He had, like other newspaper men, received offers of employment from politicians who desired to increase their influence with the press. Sometimes the salary offered had been large, the work so light that the reporter could ”earn” the money and yet retain his newspaper position, a scantily disguised species of bribery, which had wrecked the careers of several promising reporters well known to Haines, young men who had been thus led into ”selling their columns” by unscrupulous machine dictators.

Haines knew that the Mississippian had no ulterior purpose to serve in his offer, yet he must have time to think over the proposal.

”I thank you, Senator,” he finally said. ”I appreciate the opportunity, coming from you, but I've never thought of giving up the newspaper profession. It's a fascinating career, one that I am too fond of to leave.”

Langdon started to reply, when a delightfully modulated Southern voice interrupted:

”Father, I've been out with Mrs. Spangler to look for some other rooms. I don't like this hotel, and I found some that I do like.”

Haines turned to see a handsomely gowned young woman who had the stamp of a patrician's daughter in her bearing and her countenance--a brunette, with delicate features, though determination shone in her eyes and appeared in the self-contained poise of her head. She was the imperious type of beauty and suggested to Haines the dry point etchings of Paul h.e.l.leu. He instinctively conceived her to be intensely ambitious, and of this Haines was soon to have unexpected evidence. Gazing at her with a sense of growing admiration, Haines gave an involuntary start as Senator Langdon spoke.

”My daughter, Miss Carolina Langdon, Mr. Haines,” said the Senator.

Carolina was interested.

”Are you the newspaper man who is interviewing father? I hope you'll do a nice one. We want him to be a successful and popular Senator.

We'd like to help him if we could.”

The correspondent bowed.

”I should say you certainly would help him to be a popular Senator,”

he declared, emphatically, failing to notice that Hope Georgia was somewhat annoyed at the enthusiasm displayed over her elder sister. In fact, Hope Georgia was suffering a partial, if not total, eclipse.

”I'm leaving it to Mr. Haines to put down the things I ought to say,”

broke in the Senator. ”He knows.”

”Yes, he knows everything about Was.h.i.+ngton, Carolina,” exclaimed Hope Georgia, spiritedly.

The older girl spoke eagerly.

”I wish you'd interview me, Mr. Haines. Ask me how I like Was.h.i.+ngton.

I feel as though I must tell some one just how much I do like it! It is too wonderful!”

”I'd like mighty well to interview you, Miss Langdon,”

enthusiastically exclaimed Haines.

”I hope you will some time, Mr. Haines,” remarked Carolina, as she said good-by.

Watching her as she turned away, Haines saw her extend a warm greeting to Congressman Charles Norton, who had advanced toward the group.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”STRANGE HOW THE LANGDONS TREAT HIM AS A FRIEND.”]

<script>