Ludwig will think of the American working-man when he arrives this
afternoon?"

"Just about as much," retorted the not-to-be-downed carpet-tacker,
"as he does about American generosity. And he may think a few
things," he added weightily, "about American independence."

"Oh, he's sure to do that," agreed the attorney-general.

He joined the crowd in the corridor. They were swarming out from all
the offices, all talking of the one thing. "It was a straight case
of hold-up," declared the Governor's secretary. "They supposed they
had us on the hip. They were getting extra money as it was, but you
see they just figured it out we'd pay anything rather than have
these wretched floors for the reception this afternoon. They thought
the Governor would argue the question, and then give in, or, at any
rate, compromise. They never intended for one minute that the Prince
should find bare floors here. And I rather think," he concluded,
"that they feel a little done up about it themselves."

"What's the situation?" asked a stranger within the gates.

"It's like this," a newspaper reporter told him; "about a month ago
there was a fire here and the walls and carpets were pretty well
knocked out with smoke and water. The carpets were mean old things
anyway, so they voted new ones. And I want to tell you"--he swelled
with pride--"that the new ones are beauties. The place'll look great
when we get 'em down. Well, you know Prince Ludwig and his crowd
cross the State on their way to the coast, and of course they were
invited to stop. Last week Billy Patton--he's running the whole