looking up; and there were tears in her eyes that contradicted the hardness of her language, “you might not pity him if you knew my history; perhaps you would not wonder at some things you hear.  No; it is useless to ask me why it must be so.  You can’t make a life over—­society wouldn’t let you if you would—­and mine must be lived as it is.  There, sir, I’m not offended; but it is useless for you to say anything more.”

Philip went away with his heart lightened about Harry, but profoundly saddened by the glimpse of what this woman might have been.  He told Harry all that was necessary of the conversation—­she was bent on going her own way, he had not the ghost of a chance—­he was a fool, she had said, for thinking he had.

And Harry accepted it meekly, and made up his own mind that Philip didn’t know much about women.

CHAPTER XLV.

The galleries of the House were packed, on the momentous day, not because the reporting of an important bill back by a committee was a thing to be excited about, if the bill were going to take the ordinary course afterward; it would be like getting excited over the empaneling of a coroner’s jury in a murder case, instead of saving up one’s emotions for the grander occasion of the hanging of the accused, two years later, after all the tedious forms of law had been gone through with.

But suppose you understand that this coroner’s jury is going to turn out to be a vigilance committee in disguise, who will hear testimony for an hour and then hang the murderer on the spot?  That puts a different aspect upon the matter.  Now it was whispered that the legitimate forms of procedure usual in the House, and which keep a bill hanging along for days and even weeks, before it is finally passed upon, were going to be overruled, in this case, and short work made of the, measure; and so, what was beginning as a mere inquest might, torn out to be something very different.

In the course of the day’s business the Order of “Reports of Committees” was finally reached and when the weary crowds heard that glad announcement issue from the Speaker’s lips they ceased to fret at the dragging delay, and plucked up spirit.  The Chairman of the Committee on Benevolent Appropriations rose and made his report, and just then a blue-uniformed brass-mounted little page put a note into his hand.

It was from Senator Dilworthy, who had appeared upon the floor of the House for a moment and flitted away again: 

     “Everybody expects a grand assault in force; no doubt you believe,
     as I certainly do, that it is the thing to do; we are strong, and
     everything is hot for the contest.  Trollop’s espousal of our cause
     has immensely helped us and we grow in power constantly.  Ten of the
     opposition were called away from town about noon,(but—­so it is
     said—­only for one day).  Six others are sick, but expect