nt her to have
this great naval city as the living proof that there is again just
one country--the United States--and the North and the South both have
forgiven."

Senator Peabody clapped the new member on the back.

"Good!" he exclaimed. "You've got to make some speeches like that.
We'll have you as the orator for the naval base."

Langdon's eyes opened wide.

"Orator!" he gasped. "Me! An orator!"

"Why, that was oratory, good oratory," exclaimed Stevens, with
enthusiasm.

"Huh!" grunted the planter. "You call that oratory. Why, that was only
the truth."

"We'll see that you do some more of it, then," laughed Peabody.
"Remember, we count on you for the naval base."

"For rural simplicity he's perfection," whispered Peabody to Stevens
as they left the planter. "He's a living picture of innocence. We'll
push him forward and let him do the talking for the naval affairs
committee. Hiding behind him, we could put through almost any kind of
a proposition."

Once more did the senior Senator from Mississippi acquiesce.

CHAPTER VI

NEW FRIENDS--AND AN OLD ENEMY

Langdon gazed at the two departing Senators with varied emotions. He
sat down to think over what they had said and to carefully consider
what manner of man was Peabody, who showed such an interest in him. He
realized that he would have considerable intercourse with Peabody in
the processes of legislation, and finally had to admit to himself
that he did not like the Senator from Pennsylvania. Just what it was
Langdon could not at this time make certain, but he was mystified by
traces of contradictions in the Senator's character--slight traces,
true, but traces nevertheless. Peabody's cordiality and sympathy were
to Langdon's mind partly genuine and partly false. Just what was the
cause of or the necessity for the alloy in the true metal he could not
fathom.

His talk with these famous lawmakers was unsatisfactory also in that
it had conveyed to Langdon the suggestion that the Senate was not
primarily a great forum for the general and active consideration of
weighty measures and of national policies. It had been his idea that
the Senate was primarily such a forum, but the attitude of Peabody
and Stevens had hinted to him that there were matters of individual
interest that outweighed public or national considerations. For
instance, they were anxious that Altacoola should have the naval base
regardless of the claims or merits of any other section