confessed.

"Then go back and chase yourself around the platform some more," was Mr.
Bascom's unfeeling advice, "and don't have a fit here. All the brains in
this hall are in Hilary's room. When he's ready to talk business with me
in behalf of the Honourable Giles Henderson, I guess he'll do so."

But fear had entered the heart of the Honourable Elisha, and there was a
sickly feeling in the region of his stomach which even the strong
medicine administered by the Honourable Brush failed to alleviate. He
perceived Senator Whitredge, returned from the Pelican. But the advice
--if any--the president of the Northeastern has given the senator is not
forthcoming in practice. Mr. Flint, any more than Ulysses himself, cannot
recall the tempests when his own followers have slit the bags--and in
sight of Ithaca! Another conference at the back of the stage, out of
which emerges State Senator Nat Billings and gets the ear of General
Doby.

"Let 'em yell," says Mr. Billings--as though the general, by raising one
adipose hand, could quell the storm. Eyes are straining, scouts are
watching at the back of the hall and in the street, for the first glimpse
of the dreaded figure of Mr. Thomas Gaylord. "Let 'em yell;" counsels Mr.
Billings, "and if they do nominate anybody nobody'll hear 'em. And send
word to Putnam County to come along on their fifth ballot."

It is Mr. Billings himself who sends word to Putnam County, in the name
of the convention's chairman. Before the messenger can reach Putnam
County another arrives on the stage, with wide pupils, "Tom Gaylord is
coming!" This momentous news, Marconi-like, penetrates the storm, and is
already on the floor. Mr. Widgeon and Mr. Redbrook are pushing their way
towards the door. The conference, emboldened by terror, marches in a body
into the little room, and surrounds the calmly insane Lieutenant-general
of the forces; it would be ill-natured to say that visions of lost
railroad commissionerships, lost consulships, lost postmasterships,
--yes, of lost senatorships, were in these loyal heads at this crucial
time.

It was all very well (so said the first spokesman) to pluck a few
feathers from a bird so bountifully endowed as the Honourable Adam, but
were not two gentlemen who should be nameless carrying the joke a little
too far? Mr. Vane unquestionably realized what he was doing, but--was it
not almost time to call in the two gentlemen and--and come to some
understanding?

"Gentleme