be determined whether God or the devil should be his master, and he had turned his back on Satan. He took his wife in his arms and kissed her tenderly and reverently. No one knew better then than he the moral beauty, the power to charm, to sustain, to lead forward, of the woman he had not thought worthy to stand by him in Washington.
The next morning early, Crane started West. He had his fateful interview with Sanders and returned to Washington within a week. Sanders's words had been few, but full of meaning.
"All right," he said. "I don't take any stock in this awakening of conscience business. You think Bicknell can serve you better than I can. Very well. We will see."
Suddenly, and apparently without volition, Crane's right arm shot out and his open palm struck Sanders's check. The Governor, as quick as thought, hit back. He was a brute, but not a coward. Then both men came to their senses, and, hating each other worse than ever, each was ashamed of his violence.
