William MacLeod Raine

“ How is a man to please you? If I had asked I might have kissed you, but you fly into a rage because I didn’t ask. I don’t see the distinction.”
“Of course you don’t,” came with fine contempt her retort. “I mean that I’m no prude. You were down, and we were friends. Why shouldn’t I let you kiss me if it would have made you happier? ”

“ My country needs my services. Personally, I would rather die than stoop to bribery. But am I responsible if Schaffner is halted by another unscrupulous robber baron while he is stealing the senatorship? Surely you go too far when you say that I should have called off Harlan and told him to let his enemy, and for that matter the enemy of the people, too, steal in peace without opposition.”
Her smile mocked his ponderous self-esteem. “It is very plain that the other man is the sinner. ”

“ Stoneman,” said Miss Marriott promptly.
“I think such an explanation very reasonable; but admitting the bribery for the sake of argument——”
“Quite so. For the sake of argument,” she smiled.
“One can very easily put one’s finger on the guilty parties. There has for a long time been a bitter fight for the control of the Three C system between Schaffner and Harlan. The fight was carried into this senatorship contest. If Harlan threw his influence in my favor am I to blame?” ”