address.  He and Selma, when the committee arrived, were just about to explore the neighborhood, and Lyons, though ordinarily he would have been glad of such an opportunity, looked at his wife with an expression which suggested that he would prefer a walk with her.  The eyes of the committee followed his, appreciating that he had thrown the responsibility of a decision on his bride.  Selma was equal to the occasion.  “Of course he will address you,” she exclaimed.  “What more suitable place could there be for offering homage to the father of our country than this majestic prairie?” She added, proudly, “And I am glad you should have the opportunity to hear my husband speak.”

Some letters requiring attention were forwarded to Lyons at one of the cities where they stopped.  As they lay on his dressing-table Selma caught sight of the return address, Williams & Van Horne, printed on the uppermost envelope.  The reminder aroused a host of associations.  Flossy had not been much in her thoughts lately, yet she had not failed to plume herself occasionally with the reflection that she could afford now to snap her fingers at her.  She had wondered more than once what Flossy would think when she heard that she was the wife of a Representative.

“Do you know these people personally?” she inquired, holding up the envelope.

“Yes.  They are my—­er—­financial representatives in New York.  I have considerable dealings with them.”

Selma had not up to this time concerned herself as to the details of her husband’s affairs.  He had made clear to her that his income from his profession was large, and she knew that he was interested in a variety of enterprises.  That he should have connections with a firm of New York brokers was one more proof to her of his common sense and capacity to take advantage of opportunities.

“Mr. Littleton used to buy stocks through Williams and Van Horne—­only a few.  He was not very clever at it, and failed to make the most of the chances given him to succeed in that way.  We knew the Williamses at one time very well.  They lived in the same block with us for several years after we were married.”

“Williams is a capable, driving sort of fellow.  Bold, but on the whole sagacious, I think,” answered Lyons, with demure urbanity.  It was rather a shock to him that his wife should learn that he had dealings in the stock market.  He feared lest it might seem to her inconsistent with his other propensities—­his religious convictions and his abhorrence of corporate rapacity.  He preferred to keep such transactions private for fear they should be misunderstood.  At heart he did not altogether approve of them himself.  They were a part of his evolution, and had developed by degrees until they had become now so interwoven with his whole financial outlook that he could not escape from them at the moment if he would.  Indeed some of them were giving him anxiety.  He had supposed that the letter in question contained a request