It was to John Branch that Madam Bowker applied when she decided
that Joshua Craig must be driven from Washington. She sent for
him, and he came promptly. He liked to talk to her because she was
one of the few who thoroughly appreciated and sympathized with his
ideas of success in life. Also, he respected her as a personage in
Washington, and had it in mind to marry his daughter, as soon as
she should be old enough, to one of her grandnephews.
"Branch," said the old lady, with an emphatic wave of the ebony
staff, "I want that Craig man sent away from Washington."
"Josh, the joke?" said Branch with a slow, sneering smile that had
an acidity in it interesting in one so even as he.
"That's the man. I want you to rid us of him. He has been paying
attention to Margaret, and she is encouraging him."
"Impossible!" declared Branch. "Margaret is a sensible girl and
Josh has nothing--never will have anything."
"A mere politician!" declared Madam Bowker. "Like hundreds of
others that wink in with each administration and wink out with it.
He will not succeed even at his own miserable political game--and,
if he did, he would still be poor as poverty.
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