castle," he said, bringing
his fist down upon the table with a thud. "I take exception to your
remarks, from first to last. I consider myself fully competent to deal
with the situation, and you may depend, sir, I shall do so at my own
time, and in my own way. If Mr. Peter Rathbawne supposes that he can
defy reason and justice at will, and that the state authorities are
prepared to support him, he is grossly and fatally mistaken. Gentlemen,
I have the honor to bid you good-day!"

For a quarter-minute, the two men stood facing each other, without
speaking. It was observable that the eyes of neither flinched. Then--

"It is my earnest hope, Elijah Abbott," said the Colonel slowly, "to see
you impeached by a righteously indignant community, and committed for a
term of years to the State's Prison at Mowberly, for rank malfeasance
in office!"

The Governor shrugged his shoulders.

"Your record and your position protect you, Colonel Broadcastle," he
said, with something of his usual suavity. "Will you have the goodness
to retire?"

As the Citizens' Committee left the room the Lieutenant-Governor turned
on his heel, passed into his office, and closed the door.

For a long time he sat motionless at his desk, with his temples in his
hands, staring at a frame upon the opposite wall, which contained the
emblazoned arms of Alleghenia. These were a hand holding even balances,
upon a circular shield, supported by the nude figures of two young men,
representing Art and Labor. Above, upon a scroll, were the words,
"_Justitia. Lex. Integritas._"

It was not only bad heraldry, but indifferently appropriate symbolism.

IX

THE NINTH PASSES IN REVIEW

The huge armory of the Ninth, transformed, by the same system which had
metamorphosed the _personnel_ of the regiment itself, from a gaunt,
barn-like structure, ill-fitted to its purpose in all but size, to the
most cheerful, as well as the most completely equipped, of Alleghenian
arsenals, was blazing with light and echoing to the sound of many
voices. A steady stream of people poured in at the heavy doors, now
standing wide, but significant, with their great timbers, elaborate
locks and bolts, and precautionary peep-holes, of the possibility of an
attitude less hospitable. Threading their way at a rapid pace through
the more sluggish main current of the crowd, the members of the
regiment, in an infinite variety of civilian attire,--from tweeds and
knickerbockers to top-h