demanded　with　a　challenge　in　his　voice。　　〃I　thought　you　were　his
  friend。〃
  〃Yes；　he　is　selfish；　and　yes；　I　am　his　friend；〃　the　young　man
  answered；　smiling；　〃at　least；　he　seems　willing　to　be　mine。　　I　am
  saying　nothing　against　him　that　I　have　not　said　to　him。　　If
  you'll　come　back　with　me　up　the　elevator　I'll　tell　him　he's　a
  self…seeker　and　selfish；　and　with　no　thought　above　his　own
  interests。　　He　won't　mind。　　He'd　say　I　cannot　comprehend　his
  motives。　　Why；　you've　only　to　look　at　his　record。　　When　the
  Venezuelan　message　came　out　he　attacked　the　President　and
  declared　he　was　trying　to　make　political　capital　and　to　drag　us
  into　war；　and　that　what　we　wanted　was　arbitration；　but　when　the
  President　brought　out　the　Arbitration　Treaty　he　attacked　that　too
  in　the　Senate　and　destroyed　it。　　Why？　　Not　because　he　had
  convictions；　but　because　the　President　had　refused　a　foreign
  appointment　to　a　friend　of　his　in　the　South。　　He　has　been　a
  free　silver　man　for　the　last　ten　years；　he　comes　from　a　free
  silver　state；　and　the　members　of　the　legislature　that　elected　him
  were　all　for　silver；　but　this　last　election　his　Wall　Street
  friends　got　hold　of　him　and　worked　on　his　feelings；　and　he
  repudiated　his　party；　his　state；　and　his　constituents　and　came
  out　for　gold。〃
  〃Well；　but　surely；〃　Arkwright　objected；　〃that　took　courage？　　To
  own　that　for　ten　years　you　had　been　wrong；　and　to　come　out　for
  the　right　at　the　last。〃
  Livingstone　stared　and　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃It's　all　a
  question　of　motives；〃　he　said　indifferently。　　〃I　don't　want　to
  shatter　your　idol；　I　only　want　to　save　you　from　counting　too　much
  on　him。〃
  When　Arkwright　called　on　the　morrow　Senator　Stanton　was　not　at
  home；　and　the　day　following　he　was　busy；　and　could　give　him　only
  a　brief　interview。　　There　were　previous　engagements　and　other
  difficulties　in　the　way　of　his　going　which　he　had　not　foreseen；
  he　said；　and　he　feared　he　should　have　to　postpone　his　visit　to
  Cuba　indefinitely。　　He　asked　if　Mr。　Arkwright　would　be　so
  kind　as　to　call　again　within　a　week；　he　would　then　be　better　able
  to　give　him　a　definite　answer。
  Arkwright　left　the　apartment　with　a　sensation　of　such　keen
  disappointment　that　it　turned　him　ill　and　dizzy。　　He　felt　that
  the　great　purpose　of　his　life　was　being　played　with　and　put
  aside。　　But　he　had　not　selfish　resentment　on　his　own　account；　he
  was　only　the　more　determined　to　persevere。　　He　considered　new
  arguments　and　framed　new　appeals；　and　one　moment　blamed　himself
  bitterly　for　having　foolishly　discouraged　the　statesman　by　too
  vivid　pictures　of　the　horrors　he　might　encounter；　and　the　next；
  questioned　if　he　had　not　been　too　practical　and　so　failed　because
  he　had　not　made　the　terrible　need　of　immediate　help　his　sole
  argument。　　Every　hour　wasted　in　delay　meant；　as　he　knew；　the
  sacrifice　of　many　lives；　and　there　were　other；　more　sordid　and
  more　practical；　reasons　for　speedy　action。　　For　his　supply　of
  money　was　running　low　and　there　was　now　barely　enough　remaining
  to　carry　him　through　the　month　of　travel　he　had　planned　to　take
  at　Stanton's　side。　　What　would　happen　to　him　when　that
  momentous　trip　was　over　was　of　no　consequence。　　He　would　have
  done　the　work　as　far　as　his　small　share　in　it　lay；　he　would　have
  set　in　motion　a　great　power　that　was　to　move　Congress　and　the
  people　of　the　United　States　to　action。　　If　he　could　but　do　that；
  what　became　of　him　counted　for　nothing。
  But　at　the　end　of　the　week　his　fears　and　misgivings　were
  scattered　gloriously　and　a　single　line　from　the　senator　set　his
  heart　leaping　and　brought　him　to　his　knees　in　gratitude　and
  thanksgiving。　　On　returning　one　afternoon　to　the　mean　lodging
  into　which　he　had　moved　to　save　his　money；　he　found　a　telegram
  from　Stanton　and　he　tore　it　open　trembling　between　hope　and　fear。
  〃Have　arranged　to　leave　for　Tampa　with　you　Monday；　at　midnight〃
  it　read。　　〃Call　for　me　at　ten　o'clock　same　evening。STANTON。〃
  Arkwright　read　the　message　three　times。　　There　was　a　heavy；
  suffocating　pressure　at　his　heart　as　though　it　had　ceased
  beating。　　He　sank　back　limply　upon　the　edge　of　his　bed　and
  clutching　the　piece　of　paper　in　his　two　hands　spoke　the　words
  aloud　triumphantly　as　though　to　assure　himself　that　they
  were　true。　　Then　a　flood　of　unspeakable　relief；　of　happiness　and
  gratitude；　swept　over　him；　and　he　turned　and　slipped　to　the
  floor；　burying　his　face　in　the　pillow；　and　wept　out　his　thanks
  upon　his　knees。
  A　man　so　deeply　immersed　in　public　affairs　as　was　Stanton　and
  with　such　a　multiplicity　of　personal　interests；　could　not　prepare
  to　absent　himself　for　a　month　without　his　intention　becoming
  known；　and　on　the　day　when　he　was　to　start　for　Tampa　the　morning
  newspapers　proclaimed　the　fact　that　he　was　about　to　visit　Cuba。
  They　gave　to　his　mission　all　the　importance　and　display　that
  Arkwright　had　foretold。　　Some　of　the　newspapers　stated　that　he
  was　going　as　a　special　commissioner　of　the　President　to　study　and
  report；　others　that　he　was　acting　in　behalf　of　the　Cuban　legation
  in　Washington　and　had　plenipotentiary　powers。　　Opposition　organs
  suggested　that　he　was　acting　in　the　interests　of　the　sugar　trust；
  and　his　own　particular　organ　declared　that　it　was　his　intention
  to　free　Cuba　at　the　risk　of　his　own　freedom；　safety；　and　even
  life。
  The　Spanish　minister　in　Washington　sent　a　cable　for
  publication　to　Madrid；　stating　that　a　distinguished　American
  statesman　was　about　to　visit　Cuba；　to　investigate；　and；　later；　to
  deny　the　truth　of　the　disgraceful　libels　published　concerning　the
  Spanish　officials　on　the　island　by　the　papers　of　the　United
  States。　　At　the　same　time　he　cabled　in　cipher　to　the　captain…
  general　in　Havana　to　see　that　the　distinguished　statesman　was
  closely　spied　upon　from　the　moment　of　his　arrival　until　his
  departure；　and　to　place　on　the　〃suspect〃　list　all　Americans　and
  Cubans　who　ventured　to　give　him　any　information。
  The　afternoon　papers　enlarged　on　the　importance　of　the　visit　and
  on　the　good　that　would　surely　come　of　it。　　They　told　that　Senator
  Stanton　had　refused　to　be　interviewed　or　to　disclose　the　object
  of　his　journey。　　But　it　was　enough；　they　said；　that　some　one　in
  authority　was　at　last　to　seek　out　the　truth；　and　added　that　no
  one　would　be　listened　to　with　greater　respect　than　would　the
  Southern　senator。　　On　this　all　the　editorial　writers　were　agreed。
  The　day　passed　drearily　for　Arkwright。　　Early　in　the　morning　he
  packed　his　valise　and　paid　his　landlord；　and　for　the
  remainder　of　the　day　walked　the　streets　or　sat　in　the　hotel
  corridor　waiting　impatiently　for　each　fresh　edition　of　the
  papers。　　In　them　he　read　the　signs　of　the　great　upheaval　of
  popular　feeling　that　was　to　restore　peace　and　health　and　plenty
  to　the　island　for　which　he　had　given　his　last　three　years　of
  energy　and　life。
  He　was　trembling　with　excitement；　as　well　as　with　the　cold；　when
  at　ten　o'clock　precisely　he　stood　at　Senator　Stanton's　door。　　He
  had　forgotten　to　eat　his　dinner；　and　the　warmth　of　the　dimly　lit
  hall　and　the　odor　of　rich　food　which　was　wafted　from　an　inner
  room　touched　his　senses　with　tantalizing　comfort。
  〃The　senator　says　you　are　to　come　this　way；　sir；〃　the　servant
  directed。　　He　took　Arkwright's　valise　from　his　hand　and　parted
  the　heavy　curtains　that　hid　the　dining…room；　and　Arkwright
  stepped　in　between　them　and　then　stopped　in　some　embarrassment。
  He　found　himself　in　the　presence　of　a　number　of　gentlemen　seated
  at　a　long　dinner…table；　who　turned　their　heads　as　he　entered　and
  peered　at　him　through　the　smoke　that　floated　in　light　layers
  above　the　white　cloth。　　The　dinner　had　been　served；　but　the
  senator's　guests　still　sat　with　their　chairs　pushed　back　from　a
  table　lighted　by　candles　under　yellow　shades；　and　covered　with
  beautiful　flowers　and　with　bottles　of　varied　sizes　in　stands　of
  quaint　and　intricate　design。　　Senator　Stanton's　tall　figure
  showed　dimly　through　the　smoke；　and　his　deep　voice　hailed
  Arkwright　cheerily　from　the　farther　end　of　the　room。　　〃This　way；
  Mr。　Arkwright；〃　he　said。　　〃I　have　a　chair　waiting　for　you　here。〃
  He　grasped　Arkwright's　hand　warmly　and　pulled　him　into　the　vacant
  place　at　his　side。　　An　elderly　gentleman　on　Arkwright's　other
  side　moved　to　make　more　room　for　him　and　shoved　a　liqueur　glass
  toward　him　with　a　friendly　nod　and　pointed　at　an　open　box　of
  cigars。　　He　was　a　fine…looking　man；　and　Arkwright　noticed　that　he
  was　regarding　him　with　a　glance　of　the　keenest　interest。　　All　of
  those　at　the　table　were　men　of　twice　Arkwright's　age；　except
  Livingstone；　whom　he　recognized　and　who　nodded　to　him　pleasantly
  and　at　the　same　time　gave　an　order　to　a　servant；　pointing　at
  Arkwright　as　he　did　so。　　Some　of　the　gentlemen　wore　their
  business　suits；　and　one　opposite　Arkwright　was　still　in　his
  overcoat；　and　held　his　hat　in　his　hand。　　These　latter　seemed　to
  have　arrived　after　the　dinner　had　begun；　for　they　formed　a　second
  line　back　of　those　who　had　places　at　the　table；　they　all　seemed
  to　know　one　another　and　were　talking　with　much　vivacity　and
  interest。
  Stanton　did　not　attempt　to　introduce　Arkwright　to　his　guests
  individually；　but　said：　　〃Gentlemen；　this　is　Mr。　Arkwright；　of
  whom　I　have　been　telling　you；　the　young　gentleman　who　has　done
  such　magnificent　work　for　the　cause　of　Cuba。〃　　Those