_ CHAPTER VIII. HOW SENATOR LANGDON GETS A SECRETARY
Langdon leaned over and seized the arm of his interviewer.
"See here, young man, why aren't you in politics?" he said.
"Too busy, Senator," replied Haines. "Besides, I like the newspaper game."
"Game?" queried Langdon.
"Oh, I use the word in a general sense, Senator," replied Haines. "Pretty much everything is a 'game'--society, politics, newspaper work, business of every sort. Men and women make 'moves' to meet the moves of other men and women. Why, even in religion, the way some people play a--"
The speaker was interrupted by the appearance of Hope Georgia, who was searching for her father.
"Stay here and listen to what a hard task your old father has got," said the Mississippian to his daughter, whom he presented to Haines with a picturesque flourish reminiscent of the pride and chivalry of the old South. "He has the idea that those New Yorkers who read his paper would actually like to know something about me."
Hope Georgia stole many glances at the reporter as he talked with her father. He made a deep impression on her young mind. She had spent almost all her life on the plantation, her father providing her with a private tutor instead of sending her to boarding-school, where her elder sister had been educated. Owing to the death of her mother the planter had desired to keep Hope Georgia at home for companionship. This good-looking, clean-cut, well-built young man who was taking so big and so active a part of the world's work brought to her the atmosphere that her spirit craved. He gave one an impression of ability, of earnestness, of sincerity, and she was glad that her father approved of him.
Hope Georgia, by the same token, did not escape the attention of the interviewer. Her appealing charm of face and figure was accentuated by her daintiness and a fleeting suggestion of naivete in poise and expression when she was amused. His first glance revealed to Haines that her eyes were gray, the gray that people say indicates the possessor to have those priceless qualities--the qualities that make the sweetest women true, that make the maiden's eyes in truth the windows of her soul, the qualities that make women womanly.
She sat close to her father, her hand in his, listening intently to the unfolding of a story of what to her was a mysterious world--the man's world, the strong man's world--which many a woman would give her all to enter and play a part therein.
"What else have you against a political career, Mr. Haines?" went on the Senator, taking up their conversation.
"Well, my age, for one thing. I haven't any gray hairs."
Langdon waved this objection aside.
"I might arrange to pool ages with you. Sometimes I think we want young men in politics, like you."
The reporter shook his head.
"Old in age and young in politics, like you, Senator Langdon," he replied. "Politics I sometimes think is pure hypocrisy and sometimes something worse. A man gets disgusted with the trickery and dishonesty and corruption."
"Then," drawled Langdon, "the thing to do is to jump in and stop it! I read in the newspapers a great deal about corruption. The gentlemen in national politics whom I have had the honor of knowing--Senator Moseley, an intimate friend of thirty years; my present colleague, Senator Stevens, and others--have been as honest as the day is long."
"But the days do get short in November, when Congress meets, don't they?" laughed Haines, rising. "I'm afraid I've taken too much of your time, and I seem to have talked a lot."
Langdon was amused.
"Does look like I'd been interviewing you. I reckon each one of us has got a pretty good notion of what the other man's like. I wanted it that way, and I like you, Mr. Haines. I've got a proposition to make to you. They tell me I'll need a secretary. Now, I think I need just such a young man as you. I don't know just exactly what the work would be or what the financial arrangements should be, but I think you and I would make a pretty good team. I wish you'd come." He turned to his daughter, with a smile. "What do you think of that, Hope Georgia? Isn't your dad right?"
Smiling her approval, the young girl squeezed her father's hand in her enthusiasm.
"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 Helleu. 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 Washington, Carolina," exclaimed Hope Georgia, spiritedly.
The older girl spoke eagerly.
"I wish you'd interview me, Mr. Haines. Ask me how I like Washington. 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.
"Strange how the Langdons treat him as a friend--intimate one, too," he thought. "What if they should learn of Norton's questionable operations at the Capitol; of his connection with two unsavory 'deals,' one of which resulted in an amendment to the pure food law so that manufacturers of a valueless 'consumption cure' could continue to mislead the victims of the 'white plague'; Norton, who had uttered an epigram now celebrated in the tap-rooms of Washington, 'The paths of glory lead but to the graft.'"
"Miss Langdon is very beautiful and attractive, sir," said Haines, resuming with the Senator.
"Yes," drawled the Mississippian. "Girls in the South generally are."
"Well, I must be going. I'll think about your secretaryship, Senator Langdon. Perhaps I can find some one."
"Wish you'd think about it for yourself," observed the Senator, while Hope Georgia again nodded approval. "It would be a hard job. There are so many matters of political detail about which I am sadly inexperienced that really most of the work would fall on the secretary."
Bud Haines paused. Again he thought over Langdon's offer. Its genuineness appealed to him. Suddenly there dawned on him an idea of just what it might mean to be associated with this honest old citizen who had asked for his help--who needed it, as Haines knew only too well. He would be the Senator's guide and confidant--his adviser in big matters. Why, he would practically be United States Senator himself. He knew the "inside" as few others in Washington. Here was a chance to match his wit against that of Peabody, the boss of the Senate; a chance to spoil some of the dishonest schemes of those who were adroitly "playing the game." He could bother, too, the intriguing members of the "third house," as the lobbyists are called.
He could direct a lightning bolt into the camp of Andy Corrigan, who claimed the honor of being "speaker of the third house." These thoughts crowded into his mind. Then, too, he would become practically a member of the Langdon family and have association with the two charming daughters--with Carolina Langdon.
"It would be a great chance," he murmured half aloud; "next thing to being a Senator."
The old Mississippian heard the young man's words.
"I reckon it would," he drawled, in agreement.
"You feel sure you want me?" urged the other.
Langdon chuckled.
"I asked you," he said.
Haines came abruptly to decision.
"I've thought it over, Senator, and it seems to me it will be a great chance in every way. I'll accept. We'll fix it up to-morrow, and I'll try to make you a good secretary."
Langdon held forth his hand.
"And I'll try to make you a good Senator, my boy. Fix up nothing to-morrow. Your duties begin to-night. You are to come to dinner with me and my daughters." _