¬ÝAlwyn,‚Äù he said, adjusting his glasses, ‚Äúhave a rather high opinion of you. Here now is Stillings, who helped on the campaign. He suggests an eighteen-hundred-dollar clerkship for you.‚Äù The Senator glanced up keenly and omitted to state what Stillings suggested for himself. Alwyn was visibly grateful as well as surprised.
‚ÄúI‚ÅÝ‚ÄîI hoped,‚Äù he began hesitatingly, ‚Äúthat perhaps I might get a promotion, but I had not thought of a first-class clerkship.‚Äù
“H’m.” Senator Smith leaned back and twiddled his thumbs, staring at Alwyn until the hot blood darkened his cheeks. Then Bles sat up and stared politely but steadily back. The Senator’s eyes dropped and he put out his hand for the second note.
‚ÄúNow, your friend, Miss Wynn‚Äù‚ÅÝ‚ÄîAlwyn started‚ÅÝ‚Äî‚Äúis even more ambitious.‚Äù He handed her letter to the young man, and pointed out the words.
‚ÄúOf course, Senator,‚Äù Bles read, ‚Äúwe expect Mr. ¬ÝAlwyn to be the next Register of the Treasury.‚Äù
Bles looked up in amazement, but the Senator reached for a third letter. The room was very still. At last he found it. “This,” he announced quietly, “is from a man of great power and influence, who has the ear of the new President.” He smoothed out the letter, paused briefly, then read aloud:
‚Äú‚Ää‚ÄòIt has been suggested to me by‚Äô‚Ää‚Äù‚ÅÝ‚Äîthe Senator did not read the name; if he had ‚Äú Mrs. ¬ÝVanderpool‚Äù would have meant little to Alwyn‚ÅÝ‚Äî‚Äú‚Ää‚ÄòIt has