Page:Despotism and democracy; a study in Washington society and politics (IA despotismdemocra00seawiala).pdf/252

 *vitation very cordially, but Annette felt obliged to decline it with all the thanks in the world.

So the summer passed for those two.

For Thorndyke the summer was, first, one long anticipation of that visit he was to pay Constance, and then, one long retrospection of it. He had enjoyed every moment of it, although the beginning was inauspicious. When he changed trains at Washington to go into Virginia, whom should he find in the Pullman with him but Mince Pie Mulligan, who greeted him effusively. Thorndyke carefully concealed his destination from Mr. Mulligan, but the junior Senator was by no means so secretive.

"I'll tell you where I'm going," he said, in the friendly juxtaposition of the smoker. "I'm going to a place up in Virginia to see that stunning woman I met in Washington, Miss Maitland. Never saw her but once, but, by Jove, that was enough to make me want to see her again. I've found out where she is spending the summer, and I'm going there just to do a little prospecting."

Mr. Mulligan had abandoned the violent brogue which he had used on a former occasion, and spoke