tle himself arrived in the capital, and, after
discussing the situation with Hammond, wired Scattergood, asking for an
appointment. The mountain was going to Mohammed. Scattergood replied not
a word.

"I calc'late," he said to Mandy, "that President Castle's raisin' him a
blister."

On the morning of the day on which the bill was to come to a vote
Scattergood appeared unostentatiously in the capital, but word of his
presence flashed from tongue to tongue with miraculous speed. Word of it
came to President Castle, who pocketed his pride for excellent business
reasons, and sent up his card to Scattergood's room.

"Guess I kin see him a minute," said Scattergood, and the president
ascended with thoughts in his heart which Scattergood was well able to
lead.

"Baines," said Castle, without preface, "what do you want?"

"Nothin' you've got, I calc'late," said Scattergood, serenely.

"You're back of this infernal bill. The railroads can't permit it to
pass. It won't pass."

"Then what you wastin' your time on me for?" Scattergood asked.

"If we let you build your infernal little railroad will you drop out of
this?"

"Hain't in it to speak of."

"Will you take your hands off--if we give you your railroad and
guarantee train service?"

"Can't seem to see my way clear."

"What do you gain by passing this bill? You're nothing ahead. It won't
give you your railroad. It won't give you anything."

"Calc'late you're right."

"Listen to reason, man. You want _something_. What is it?"

"Me?... Um!... I'm a plain kind of a man, Mr. President, with a plain
kind of a wife. Hain't never met Mandy, have you? Wa-al, her and me is
perty contented with life. We got a good hardware store ..."

"Rot! What do you want?"

Scattergood leaned forward, his round face, with its bulging cheeks, as
expressionless as some particularly big and ruddy apple.

"If you're achin' to do favors for me, Mr. President you kin drop in
along about supper time. Right now can't think of a thing you kin do for
me. But I'll try ... I'll spend the afternoon thinkin' over all the
things you might be able to do, and I'll try to pick one of 'em out....
I got to see a hardware salesman now. Afternoon Mr. President."

"Baines," said Castle, losing his temper for the first time in a dozen
years, "we'll smash you for this. We'll drive you out of the state.
Well--"

"Don't slam the door," said Scattergood, placidly; "it might disturb the
other folks in