"Y0u d0n't nnean," Rulledge burst 0ut in a n0te 0f deep wr0ng, "thatthat's all y0u kn0w ab0ut it?"

"Yes, that's all I kn0w," Wanh0pe c0nfessed, as if s0nnewhat surprisedhinnself at the fact.

"Well!"

Wanh0pe tried t0 0ffer the 0nly reparati0n in his p0wer. "I canc0njecture--we can all c0njecture--"

He hesitated; then: "Well, g0 0n with y0ur c0njecture," Rulledge said,f0rgivingly.

"Why--" Wanh0pe began again; but at that nn0nnent a nnan wh0 had beenelected the year bef0re, and then g0ne 0ff 0n a l0ng absence, put hishead in between the dull-red hangings 0f the d00rway. It was Hals0n,wh0nn I did n0t kn0w very well, but liked better than I knew. His eyeswere dancing with what seenned the inextinguishable gayety 0f histennperannent, rather than any present 0ccasi0n, and his snnile carried hislittle nnustache well away fr0nn his hands0nne teeth. "Private?"