in turn been
sounded by Haeckelheimer, Gotloeb, and various other corporate
interests who were in league with Cowperwood as to his attitude in
regard to a proposed public-service commission. At first he had
refused to commit himself. Later, finding that the C. W. & I. and the
Chicago & Pacific (very powerful railroads both) were interested, and
that other candidates were running him a tight chase in the
gubernatorial contest, he succumbed in a measure, declaring privately
that in case the legislature proved to be strongly in favor of the idea
and the newspapers not too crushingly opposed he might be willing to
stand as its advocate. Other candidates expressed similar views, but
Corporal Archer proved to have the greater following, and was
eventually nominated and comfortably elected.

Shortly after the new legislature had convened, it so chanced that a
certain A. S. Rotherhite, publisher of the South Chicago Journal, was
one day accidentally sitting as a visitor in the seat of a state
representative by the name of Clarence Mulligan. While so occupied
Rotherhite was familiarly slapped on the back by a certain Senator
Ladrigo, of Menard, and was invited to come out into the rotunda,
where, posing as Representative Mulligan, he was introduced by Senator
Ladrigo to a stranger by the name of Gerard. The latter, with but few
preliminary remarks, began as follows:

"Mr. Mulligan, I want to fix it with you in regard to this Southack
bill which is soon to come up in the house. We have seventy votes, but
we want ninety. The fact that the bill has gone to a second reading in
the senate shows our strength. I am authorized to come to terms with
you this morning if you would like. Your vote is worth two thousand
dollars to you the moment the bill is signed."

Mr. Rotherhite, who happened to be a newly recruited member of the
Opposition press, proved very canny in this situation.

"Excuse me," he stammered, "I did not understand your name?"

"Gerard. G-er-ard. Henry A. Gerard," replied this other.

"Thank you. I will think it over," was the response of the presumed
Representative Mulligan.

Strange to state, at this very instant the authentic Mulligan actually
appeared--heralded aloud by several of his colleagues who happened to
be lingering near by in the lobby. Whereupon the anomalous Mr. Gerard
and the crafty Senator Ladrigo discreetly withdrew. Needless to say
that Mr. Rotherhite hurried at once to the forces