you too
well to doubt you. Still, the yarn is hurting you. Remember that
Western Senator who was 'delivered' twice, both ways, on a graft
bill?" he laughingly asked the secretary.

"Should say I did, Dick. That is the record for that game. It was a
corporation measure. One railroad wanted it; another opposed it. The
Senator innocently told an Eastern Senator that he was going to vote
for the bill. Then the Easterner went to the railroad wanting the
bill passed and got $7,000 on his absolute promise that he would get
Senator X. to vote for it, who, of course, did vote for it."

"Yes," said Cullen, "and later, when Senator X. heard that Senator Z.
had got money for his vote, he was wild. Then when another effort
was made to pass the bill (which had been defeated) the 'delivered'
Senator said to Z. as he met him unexpectedly: 'You scoundrel, here's
where I get square with you to some extent. Anyway, I'm going to vote
against that bill this time and make a long speech against it, too.'
Senator Z. then hustled to the lobbyist of the railroad that wanted
the bill killed and guaranteed him that for $10,000 he could get
Senator X. to change his vote, to vote against the bill."

"And he got the money, too, both ways," added Haines, as Cullen
concluded, "and both railroads to this day think that X. received the
money from Z."

"Of course," said Cullen, "but X. was to blame, though. He didn't know
enough to keep to himself how he was going to vote. Any man that talks
that way will be 'delivered.'"

"I know how to stop those rumors, for I'm sure it's Peabody's work, he
thinking Langdon will hear the talk and mistrust me," began Haines,
when in came Senator Langdon himself, his face beaming contentedly.
Little did the junior Senator from Mississippi realize that he was
soon to face the severest trial, the most vital crisis, of his entire
life.

Cullen responded to the Senator's cheery greeting of "Mornin',
everybody!"

"Senator," he asked, "my paper wants your opinion on the question of
the election of Senators by popular vote. Do you think the system of
electing Senators by vote of State Legislatures should be abolished?"

The Mississippian cocked his head to one side.

"I reckon that's a question that concerns future Senators, and not
those already elected," he chuckled.

Haines laughed at Cullen, who thrust his pad into his pocket and
hurried away.

"It is to-day that I appear before the ways and means committee, i