The President had undertaken to put him on the horns of a dilemma; either to force him into a hostile and treacherous Cabinet, or to throw on him the blame of a refusal and a quarrel.

He meant to embrace one of the horns and to impale the President on it, and he felt perfect confidence in his own success.

He meant to accept the Treasury and he was ready to back himself with a heavy wager to get the government entirely into his own hands within six weeks.

His contempt for the Hoosier Stone-cutter was unbounded, and his confidence in himself more absolute than ever.
Busy as he was, the Senator made his appearance the next evening at Mrs.
Lee's, and finding her alone with Sybil, who was occupied with her own little devices, Ratcliffe told Madeleine the story of his week's experience.
He did not dwell on his exploits.

On the contrary he quite ignored those elaborate arrangements which had taken from the President his power of volition.